Displaying items by tag: technology

Yesterday I reflected on the days before cell phones and wondered how I did without the GPS in my iPhone. Or the instant access to my email. And Facebook. Remember when you could only use those things on the computer? And how about when you needed a seperate device to take photos and videos - heck, there were years when the only camera I had was disposable! I sound a bit like an old lady right now... Of course now that most people have high tech mobile phones life seems so much easier and faster - it takes seconds to communicate with others from around the world. Sure, there are many times when these devices distract us from staying present and participating in the real, live world, but overall you can make quite an impact on your life and that of others.

We live in face paced world that is obsessed with technology. Most of us, in the US at least, are eager to get our hands on the latest and greatest gadgets, even if the model we currently own is in perfectly fine condition. Though I have the same compulsion, I work hard to restrain myself - example, I've been lusting after the iPhone 5 but my 4S serves me well (enough). As you'll see in this video, I waited through many generations of Apple mobile devices before I upgraded (and even felt a little guilty for buying a new one). So what did I do with my first generation iPhone and previous cell phones? I sold them through a recycling program - it was easy, I made a little money, and I felt great about doing so, and you can too.

For those of you who don't know, I'm a big Apple nerd. I absolutely love their products and own many of them. I know how to use almost all of their software. And one of my favorite things is when they make big announcements. Therefore I was on the edge of my seat for the past few days while waiting to see if Verizon was finally going to support the iPhone. You see, I still own the original iPhone - yes, the very first generation that came out over 3 years ago.

I have been holding out on buying a new iPhone for many reasons.

Now that I'm cooking up a storm, I'm missing one very important item in my kitchen: a Vitamix. But unfortunately, it's way out of my budget. Then it occurred to me, I technically already have one.

When I was at a young age I discovered something very exciting in my kitchen cabinet - a blender with a spout! I instantly wanted to make something liquid-y so I could open up the tap and pour it out like I was running a my own restaurant; so I did. I was so proud of the smoothies and ice cream shakes that I made - dumping the ingredients into the stainless steel container, clipping on the plastic top, flipping the switch, hearing the engine rev, and watching bits of liquid jump out of the open top (who knows where the cap was). I would present my creations to my family and friends and watch them enjoy the treats - satisfaction! I never saw anyone else use this machine, so I felt it was mine. My dad used to get upset with me when I would leave it dirty in the sink for someone else to clean up. Memories...

I am really excited to share this video and writing with you, not only because I had a lot of fun with it, but because I truly stand behind the product. I used NeatDesk and NeatWorks to organize all my receipts this tax season and it helped me save thousands of dollars through deductions.

A few weeks ago I went to an event by Girls in Tech, called "Impact of Tech on Green & Good". It featured my friends Siel and Tracy Hepler, and I fellow green girls Sarah Townsend (of Social Vibe) and Sandra Sanchez.