Tag Archives: top 8 bits

Nine 9/9/09 Events

Posted on by
Reply

What are you doing on the 9th day of the 9th month of the 2009th year at 9am/pm?

Sure a lot of people will get married and babies will be born on September 9th, 2009.  Already appreciating September (the month of my birthday), I am excited to announce other ways people are choosing to celebrate this upcoming Wednesday:

1. One Million Random Acts of Kindness – @yokoono has been tweeting in support of One Million Random Acts of Kindness being executed on 9/9.

  • Follow @BecomePeace2009 on Twitter (and help make #peace a trending topic!)
  • RAK (Random Act of Kindness) – but BBC Radio also help start a growing RAK trend…read the blog to find out more (and print your own flyers or cards)!

2. FTD Good Neighbor Day 2009 – The flower experts are celebrating the 15th annual FTD Good Neighbor Day holiday.

  • Since 1994, FTD has encouraged all neighbors to foster community by offering (through local florists) same-day deliveries of beautiful, FREE bouquets.
  • Customers are encouraged to keep one flower for themselves and offer the rest to their neighbors.
  • Find your local FTD florist here.

3. Monopoly City Streets – Google (heard of them??) launches their Google Maps version of Monopoly!

  • Buy any street in the world!
  • Monopoly City Streets blog here.
  • Play against your friends and finally get into the real estate market like you always wanted to, become a property mogul.

4. Beatles Revolution 9 – the iconic Beatles have a lot going on, 9/9:

  • The Beatles Rockband – Comes out for Xbox 360, PS3, & Wii (check back for coupons – I’ll find them!)  Early review from CNET.
  • Digitally Remastered – after 22 years, the digitally remastered versions of the Beatles studio albums will be released, as confirmed by press release:

Please Please Me
With the Beatles
A Hard Day’s Night
Beatles for Sale
Help!
Rubber Soul
Revolver
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Magical Mystery Tour
The Beatles (The White Album)
Abbey Road
Let It Be
Past Masters
Yellow Submarine

5. World Day of Interconnectedness – “a shift from I llness to WE llness”…

  • Starting in New Zealand, take time at 9am, to participate in interconnectedness (or oneness) opportunities (formal to informal acts.)
  • Global Events – see what and when countries across the world are participating in.
  • Email a friend
  • Join the group.

6. @BarackObama – Don’t just follow him on Twitter, listen to him address a joint session of Congress on health care reform in prime time!

  • Obama’s website highlights concisely.
  • Obama Mobile – somewhat unrelated, text “HOPE” to 62262 for updates from Obama’s camp.

7. Independence Day – the Republic of Tajikistan declared independence on this day from the Soviet Union in 1991.

8. Father Laval Day – I’d be remiss to exclude Father Laval Day, the 9/9 national holiday for Mauritius, the island republic off the coast of Africa.

  • Father Laval – Roman Catholic priest and missionary to the local people.
  • Mauritius – famous for being the only home of the Dodo bird!
  • On this day, Mauritians (not Martians…) locals head to his tombs in hopes of benefitting from his post-mortem healing powers.

9. SA’s Bartender Bash w/ YVodka – YVodka who I first read about in @SavorSA’s blog, envisioned a vodka for the ’77-’97, you guessed it!!, Y-generation consisting of young professionals (and +21 college students) who appreciated a top-of-the-line bottle for a bottom-of-the-barrel price.

  • Free Y Vodka to 1st 300 club goers!
  • $2 YVodka all nite!
  • Club Newsletters – Not close to San Antonio?  I imagine this is a BIG after-hours night for a lot of venues…sign up for their email subscriptions NOW to get alerts and coupons for Wendesday (and on your birthday, etc…)
  • Follow @TheYVodka & @ClubRive on Twitter!

Technically it just another day…but make 9/9/09 memorable by taking the time and participating in several, if not all, of the events listed above.  (If you don’t make it to Martian, I’ll understand…)

Top 8: Kid Websites

Posted on by
2

As a geeky mommy, my daughter has safely been playing on the computer since she was two.  She has great fine-motor skills, able to open Windows, and typing her name.  (I even taught her select all because she wanted to delete quickly.)

She also spends a lot of time (healthy amounts of time, of course) play on different online games.  She was an excellent critic as I was refining this list…as there were several sites we’re not mentioning for a reason.  These sites were fun, educational, and most important easy for her to use.  She had no problems navigating around the site and finding activities she was interested in doing.  They were challenging and age appropriate.  Some of the sites below are also for kids through middle school.  Take advantage of all the free websites out there for our children.

1. National Geographic for Kids – “A Parents’ Choice Recommended Winner” in 2008, this site has games, videos, interactive activities, printable suggestions and crafts.

  • My Page – personalize your child’s page, easily find favorite activities,
  • Get the full list of activities here.  (It goes on for FOREVER!)

2. PBS KIds - One of my daughter’s favorite sites, these site has tons of resources for parents and resources.  (Almost all these sites have resources for parents too.)

  • Games – games that corresponds with all the kid’s favorites.
  • Music – get up and dance with your child!
  • Coloring – print out the pages and take them with you in the car to entertain them on errands.
  • PBS Go! – watch different clips from shows, shows not shown on TV and also create an account and save scores as your child plays!

3. Nick –The main Nickelodeon site, not only does it link you to the other sites it provides games, videos, events, deals, and tons of other activities!

  • Sign up for the newsletter.
  • Games – all the regular Nickelodeon shows for the slightly older aged crowd.
  • Neopets – Quickly create an account for your child and let them pick a Neopet to play, choosing colors, names, and powers.  An online, reality village for kids.  The pre-WoW game, earn points, buy things for your pet.  Feed and dress your Neopet too.  18 different lands for your child to explore!

Nick Jr. – There are tons of games and activities that can be played WITHOUT playing.  Shows are targeted from young preschool through 6 year olds.  Another Nick site for preschool shows, Noggin offers even more games and activities.

  • Sign up for the newsletter.
  • Videos unseen on TV.

4. Kids.gov – Two different age groups (K-5 and 6-8), the website includes government links and external sites.

  • Sections include: Arts, Careers, Computer and Technology, Fun Stuff, Government, Health/Fitness/Safety, Math, Money, Science, Social Studies, and State websites
  • Check out everything here.

5. Disney – Tons of different activities, printables, games, videos, and clips from preschool through tween shows.  Find out information about visiting Disney, upcoming local events,

  • Text MOBILE to DISNEY (347639) to get new text alerts and other alerts from Disney.
  • My Page – personalize your child’s page so they see the same activities each time.

6. Discovery Kids – Fun and games, videos to watch, upcoming TV shows, and regularly syndicated shows.

  • Ready, Set, Learn – A lot of activities younger kids, games include Magic School Bus and other popular shows.
  • Educational activities, learn about mummies, and other age appropriate, scientific activities!
  • Beyond – Education videos that will take your child all over the world.
  • Games – games for younger and older kids, everything from the mindless to the mindful.  Lots of challenging quizzes.

7. Character Sites – Through the years my daughters tastes in shows has matures from Thomas the Train to Olivia the Pig.  A lot of times shows will have games and printables on the TV website it’s currently playing on…but the author/creator will often have their own website as well.  Don’t just stop at the normal channels, make use of Google and make sure you’ve found all the time consuming activities available.  :-)

8. Scholastic Kids – Offers spotlights on different authors for school aged kids.

  • Videos with clips of special events, meet the authors/celebrities, and information on your favorite series.
  • Their blog includes random book recommendations, unknown facts, and contests.
  • Games include online, puzzle, and downloadable games.
  • You can also send out cute e-cards.
  • Play different writing games.
  • Choose your own adventures fun for you AND your child

I didn’t go into a lot of detail of any of these sites.  I wanted to point out a couple unknown sites and if they were already popular I hoped to point activities that have been well broadcasted yet.

Please help your children explore these sites safely and enjoy the time you’re given back while they’re lost in the other kind of online entertainment.

8 reasons to follow Geekette Bits…

Posted on by
Reply

Taking advantage of all the social media opportunities, I have tried to reach out to possible readers through multiple channels.  Something incredibly important to me and the goal of my entire blog – make your life easier…by saving you time and money!

Everything I do on my blog should do just that and here’s 8 ways I tried to take advantage of Web 2.0:

  1. Follow me on Twitter! @geekettebits
    Follow me on Twitter!Not only will you be alerted of new posts – you’ll also see them conveniently with everyone else status updates!
  2. Friend me on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/geekettebits facebook
  3. Once you add me on FB and Twitter, check out who I am following.  Businesses local to San Antonio, websites that offer GREAT deals, get the scoop before I do!  Or if you don’t want the extra noise, check out my profile to see the alerts without having to add anyone!
  4. iGoogle Gadget – have a personalized Google homepage?  Add the Geekette Bits Google gadget there!  See quick summaries of the most recent posts! 
  5. iPhone – my site is mobile friendly!  Got an iPhone?  Doesn’t have to be 3G but it’s very iPhone friendly!  Bookmark me!
  6. rss-feed-pinkRSS Feed – don’t want to mess with those other tools?  Just subscribe to RSS feeds directly!!
  7. Leave Comments - sign up for my site through Google Friend Connect to leave comments, good and bad on my posts.  Let me know what you really would’ve like information on OR what you’d like to see next time!
  8. Google Maps - I have 3 right now…whenever I post about something I try to also include it in one of 3 maps:
    • Lil’ Bits – take a quick glance on a Saturday morning to see what’s free and close…or look to see a map view of kid friendly places!
    • Geekette HotSpots – just places I think are worth checking out!
    • Great Bytes – places I’ve reviewed or want to check out or will eventually blog about!
    • Links can be found at anytime on the right hand column of my blog “Bitmaps”.

Geekette’s Top 8 Mailing Lists to Join…

Posted on by
Reply

DISCLAIMER: I strongly recommend separating your mailing list emails or setting up good filters (either through your e-mail or Outlook.)  They all go to my personal email account but filter into various categories, quickly looking at each – kid offers, home and garden, food, travel, etc.

Companies LOVE mailing lists and member accounts for the following:

  • Save $$$ - it doesn’t cost as much to send out an e-mail as it does to send out paper notifications of specials, etc.
  • Instant, Clear, and Searchable – online specials are often much better then those found in the mailbox or newspaper

Not everyone is web savvy so they can afford to make awesome offers available to those who take advantage.

*Look back for a post about finding savings in the daily newspaper…

Why I love mailing lists:

  • Sign-up Incentives (one time offers for joining a site – often the best offer/discounts you’ll see)
  • Birthday Presents (on your birthday look in your inbox and mailbox for great offers – they want you to spend your birthday money, dinner, etc with them.)
  • Offers/Discounts not for the Masses (Instead of getting what everyone gets, receive something a little more personalized AND special.)

This list is based on just the facts, I probably have subscribed (and sometimes un-subscribed) from 100-200 different websites for any retail service you can think of.

*In no particular order – I picked my favorite in 8 different categories…

Top 8 Mailing Lists to Join

  1. KOHLS.com – Not only do you get $5 off in-store and 10% off online, Kohls sends out notifications every couple of days with offers of free shipping and great sales.  (Word from the wise – create an account and save your shopping cart…it will time out and you’ll lose everything in your you’ve potentially purchased.)
  2. Chuck E. Cheese’s – You want your kid to be a kid…and the cheaper, the more inclined you’ll be to tolerate the loud noises and obnoxious parents.  (Did I say obnoxious?  I meant assertive and strong…)  The best part is the payout at sign up time – you pay for 40 tokens ($10) get 60 tokens, FREE!  You get a set of 4 with each coupon alert eventually the ratio reverses to pay for 60 tokens ($15) get 40 free…still a great deal.)  (Check back for my post on tips and tricks for playing the games – timing is everything if you want to be the mom (dad/uncle/friend/etc) who walks up everytime with at least a thousand tickets.)They’ll also e-mail chore charts, doctor visits, and other certificates worth 10 tokens (FREE) upon completion.
  3. VistaPrint – If I could only keep one mail subscription, it might just be VistaPrint.  Although you are frequently are e-mailed offers, the offers are incredible!  A printing website with quick turnaround a good quality – the offers are great to use at different times of the year.  My daughter and I made fridge magnets with her in red by the tree for Christmas, and included a poem she wrote on the site.  Priceless.  Literally!  Pay special attention of offers with free or discounted uploads (template and pictures included -  a majority of the bill can add up when adding pictures to cards or calendars.)  This website doesn’t just print business cards, print post cards, mousepads, key chains, stamps, car magnets, calendars, hats, and more!  With each e-mail offer select up to 10 FREE products to personalize or design from scratch, only paying for shipping at the end.
  4. RetailMeNot.com – The easiest way to find online coupon codes.  I do not make a purchase online without first googling promotional code (or whatever is requested upon checkout.)  I’ve saved incredible amounts of money with discounts or FREE shipping.
  5. Borders Perks – I’m not sure where this gem was hiding and who knew that Borders Bookstore had such an extensive, inclusive listing of incredible deals.  Sent in a weekly message, rewards include discounts for not only their own bookstore but a plethora of others as well.  Anything and everything is included in this extensive site listing but top offers are emailed every couple of days, based on preferences.
  6. 2-Way Tie for Best Picture:
    Walgreens & Shutterfly – Both regularly e-mail great discounts and promotional codes just in time for the holidays or birthdays.  New members receive free prints – I normally hold out for coupons for $.10 or less…they also offer discounts on photo products (mousepads, scrapbooks) and include updates to new functionality AND services.
  7. Ticketmaster, Broadway Across America, & NBA.com are all worth mentioned when purchasing tickets to entertaining events.  Ticketmaster and Broadway Across America both send clean, easy to read emails, on a weekly basis, about local events based on my preferences.  It’s a great reminder and they often include special codes for buying in advanced!
    NBA.com is worth mentioned because not only can you get INCREDIBLE discounts in alert e-mails, you’re also e-mailed about other promotional events by the players and discounts to hotels and travelling.  Get great seats to the next Spurs game!
  8. Overstock.com – Sign-up at the bottom of the page for Omail, Overstocks frequent flyer about over the top deals that normally only last through the weekend.  A lot are for $1 shipping (a great deal on large rug or furniture purchases)…highlights the top sellers and best deals, both the website and e-mails are very clean and manuever through.

Making my top 8 mailing lists:

  • How often are e-mails received?  Is the content worth the frequency?
  • How easy to read is it?
  • How easy is it to use the discount/promotion?
  • Can I get to the website easily from the e-mail?
  • Amount of savings (time/money)…

*Although this is my first post on mailing lists I will eventually offer more granular TOP 8 mailing lists: kids, food, offers, etc.  Let me know what you’re interested in hearing about the most?