Author Archives

    jennifer_fleury@charter.net

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    OverDrive: eBooks and Audiobooks from the Library

    Who doesn’t love free things, especially when those “things” can add value to your life?  And, what adds more value than the book of your choice?   You can learn a new language, learn how to knit, escape with a romance novel, brush up on your history, etc.

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    If you have a library card to your local library, you can download the free OverDrive app (available on Windows, Mac, i2015-08-25 16.20.01OS, Android, Kindle Fire, and Nook) to access free e-books and audio books from your local library.    If using iOS or Android, you can even access the library’s video rentals.
    Once you download the app, you have to sign up with your email or Facebook account.  (I opened to use my email.)

    Then, you have to find the library that matches your library card.  The app give you the choice of searching my name or zip code.  I choose zip code and got the following results:2015-08-25 16.22.35

    Once I selected the library that I usually visit, I was connected to their system (C/W MARS in this example) and prompted to enter my library card number.    After that, I was able to search for books by relevance.   Just for fun I entered “Dyer” into the search bar to browse books by author Wayne Dyer.   I quickly realized that I should have been more specific, since books with Dyer in their title were the first search results.   (Wayne Dyer books did appear, just not as the top results.)2015-08-25 16.22.592015-08-25 16.25.30

    Then, I did a search for Gretchen Rubin.   Her book, The Happiness Project, came up.   When I selected it, I learned that it was not immediately available.  As shown below, I was given the option to put it on hold and be notified when it became available.

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    I then decided to browse the selection of children’s books since it was prominently featured as a separate search  After asking my seven year old what she would like to read, she said requested books similar to those that they had obtained on their last visit to the library; I decided to search Paula Danziger, a popular children’s author.  Paula Danziger books, both e-book options and audio options appeared.   I was pleased to discover that I could add it to my “bookshelf” immediately.    As the first picture below shows, I also discovered that I would be able to do this for six more titles, for a total of seven books on my bookshelf.   As the second picture below shows, I discovered that I could opt to either download or immediately read the Paula Danziger selection.   I decided to read it in my browser, and VOILA the book immediately appeared as shown in the third picture below.

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    Encouraged by my daughter, I then searched for “Fancy Nancy” children’s book.  I found a Fancy Nancy audiobook, and I was able to download it immediately and listen to it on my phone.

    In theory, I really like this app.  After all, what is not to like; it’s free, and it gives you access to many of the same resources available at the public library, except you don’t have to leave your house.

    However, I did find using the app itself a little “clunky.”   I felt like I had to make multiple clicks before being able to access the resource that came up in my search.

    I was also disappointed that I wasn’t able to immediately access the Wayne Dyer or Gretchen Rubin books.   However, I guess that I can’t be too demanding when I am accessing these resources for free.  😉

     

     

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    Gas Guru: Find the Cheapest Gas Near You

    Let’s face it, filling your gas tank always “hurts” a little, even when the price of gas isn’t at record high levels like it was last year.

    I drive a lot.  I have more than 75,000 miles on my car, and we (me and my car) just had our three year anniversary.    Since I drive an SUV, it mean that I faithfully fill up my gas tank twice a week.

    I know that some people feel that the per gallon price isn’t that significant; for instance, if the difference in price is ten cents, and you have a fifteen gallon gallon tank, you only spend $1.50 more.

    {Beware, I am channeling my inner Suze Orman now.}  However, if you fill up your tank twice a week, that “$1.50” can turn into $3/week and a couple of hundred dollars a year or more, depending on thgasguru1e price difference.

    But, how do you know if you are in close proximity to cheaper gas?   If you are like I used to be, you get gas when you think that you see a good price, only to drive around the corner and see a cheapr price!gasguru2

    Solve your problem and save yourself money with Gas Guru.   It is free and easy to use.  Download the app and allow it to use your location.

    You will be prompted to select the grade of gas.

    Then, the app will display a map with all of the prices of gas stations close to your location.   Click on the image with the lowest price, and you will see the name of the gas statgasguru3ion and the address.gasguru4

    Or, if you prefer, you can change the view to view the information as a sorted list.   gasguru5

    If you found this information, please consider sharing it with someone who would benefit.

    Gas Guru (iOS)
    Gas Guru (Android)

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    Yelp: Find a Good Restaurant Anywhere You Go

    halI went to see my favorite singer, Hal Ketchum, tonight.  The concert was about an hour away, in a city that I haven’t been to in several years.  (While it doesn’t relate to this review, Hal was great!   He sings like an angel, and his voice fills the whole room.  He is the only artist that I know who sounds better in person than on his recorded album.   I highly recommend giving his songs a listen!)

    Seeing that I am a foodie at heart, I wanted to go to dinner before the show.   The friend who attended the concert with me, who was also mostly unfamiliar with the area, had obtained a few restaurant recommendations from a friend that does live in the area.

    Wanting to ensure that we had a nice meal, we made the restaurant selection after visiting Yelp and reading the reviews.   We ended up settling on the restaurant that had the highest average review.  (We went to the “The Avairy” in Swansea, Massachusetts.)   We ended up avoiding the restaurant that was closest to the concert venue based on its’ average and poor reviews on Yelp.

    We experienced a good meal, with pleasant service and atmosphere.   We ended up sharing a pizza, along with fish tacos that had been suggested by one of the reviewers.   Both of us were happy with the experience; given the opportunity, I think that I can say that we would both go back and recommend it to other friends who were visiting the area.

    Yelp is my go to app to find restaurants whenever I am in a location where I am unfamiliar with the restaurants.   I have always found the reviews to be accurate, even though I know that Yelp has received some negative criticism from some small business owners who felt that some of the reviews were biased or rigged.

    Yelp dyelpoes have reviews for categories other than food, although I personally generally use it only for restaurant reviews.   Other categories listed on the first page of the website include: nightlife, shopping, bars, beauty & spas, automotive, home services, health and medical, and local services.

    For informational purposes I looked up the concert venue, the Narrows Center.   I found that the location had been reviewed and averaged four and a half (out of five stars).  I took the time to read through several of the reviews and also found all of them to be informative and accurate.

    Yelp (iOS)
    Yelp (Android)
    Yelp Website 

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    MindBody Connect: Connect with Health, Wellness, and Beauty

    2015-07-26 18.28.39In addition to technology, I am very passionate about fitness.   Thanks to the encouragement from my high school physical education teacher, I have been a fitness instructor since I was 19 years old!   Since 2004, I have owner and operated Auburn Yoga & Pilates Center in Auburn, MA.  Today, we offer various yoga, pilates, spinning, barre, and TRX classes.

    More than twenty years in the fitness industry have taught me many things.   One lesson is that participants need to find something that they enjoy if they are going to make it a life-long habit.   For instance, I LOVE yoga.   I teach several classes a week.  But, I still try to go take a class with my favorite yoga instructor whenever I can.

    You may try yoga and discover that you share the same passion that I do.   Or, you may try yoga and decide that it doesn’t “ignite your fire.”   (SIDE NOTE:  Please don’t judge yoga on one class.  There are MANY different styles of yoga, and many different styles of instructors.     For instance, I do a vinyasa yoga but I dislike Bikram yoga.   We are all different; find the activity that “ignites your fire,” whether it is yoga, rock climbing, swimming, biking, dancing, etc.)

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    Sometimes, you drive by a fitness facility everyday and find excuses not to try it out.  (Please consider trying it out immediately after reading this post if it is something that you have been wanting to try.)    Other times, you aren’t sure where a studio is located.   Maybe you are new to the area, or maybe you are traveling?   Sometimes, there is a great place in close proximity to you, and you don’t even know that it is there, or that it is offering something that you would like to try.

    Enter the MindBody Connect app…The MindBody Connect App allows you to find a class (or other som2015-07-26 18.32.20ewhat related service including massage, hair styling, facials, etc.).   The MindBody Connect App allows you to search for the service of your choice by facility name, location, or service.   For instance, when I searched for Auburn Yoga & Pilates Center, my studio information showed up.   I was able to view my current schedule and, if I had wanted, I could have bought a drop-in class or membership package and registered for the class that I wanted through the app.

    Android app
    iOS app

     

     

    Screenshots from the app

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    Glambition Radio: Podcast Featuring Inspirational Female Entrepreneurs and Authors

    glambitionA few years ago, my news feed showed that one of my Facebook friends was frequently commenting on pictures of a pregnant woman who was very “glam” for her final stages of pregnancy.  (The woman was often photographed somewhere very dressed up, wearing heels higher than I wear when I am not pregnant.)  Curious as to who this woman was, I clicked the link to discover that the woman was Ali Brown, a coach for woman business owners.

    Intrigued, I started following Ali Brown myself.   After all, I am a woman business owner.

    Last year, I took an online course with Ali Brown.  I also joined her Elevate program for (mostly) female entrepreneurs for a year.   I found her to be a positive individual who has a knack for motivating business owners to forge forward and preserve with their businesses.

    While in Ms. Brown’s program, I started listening to her podcast, Glambition Radio (iOS).   Today, even though I am no longer in Ms. Brown’s program, I still faithfully listen to the podcast.

    I enjoy the podcast because she chooses interesting guests.   She has interviewed people ranging from Kim Kiyosaki, whose husband Robert is well known for his Rich Dad, Poor Dad fame, to a business owner who is on a mission to legalize marijuana.   She has also interviewed several authors of inspirational books such as Laura Berman Fortgang (Now What? Revised Edition; 90 Days to a New Life Direction), Gretchen Rubin (Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives), Marci Shimoff (Happy for No Reason:  7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out), and Jenny Fenig (Get Gutsy; A Sacred, Fearless Guide for Finding Your Soul’s Calling and Living Your Dream).   (Since I enjoyed many of the author’s interviews, I have subsequently read some of the books that were discussed in the podcasts.)

    The Glambition Podcast has actually been ranked in the top audio podcasts, next to the likes of Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman during certain times.)  If you enjoy listening to the stories of female entrepreneurs, I would suggest giving the Glambition Podcast a try,

     

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    Podcasts

    Maybe it is because I am a professor, but I am a HUGE advocate of lifelong learning.   I get so excited to learn new things, and I feel like there is so much information available on a variety of topics.

    Podcasts are on of my favorite ways to learn new things.   While I am personally a junkie for tech and business based podcasts, you can find a podcasts on vitually anything you can imagine.   Maybe you want to learn about investing? cooking? relationships? leadership? public speaking?   Well, you are in luck; there is a Podcast for all of these topics, and more!

    For instance, I had my college students do an online market research activity that required that students investigate resources for individuals wanting to start a niche business.   They came up with some creative ideas and were able to find podcasts on topics that included topics that included fly fishing, food trucks, beer, cooking, etc.

    The easy access and cost (FREE) of podcasts make it easy to understand why podcasts are growing in popularity.   In 2013, the Pew Research Center found that 25% of internet users were downloading podcasts.    I can only imagine that this percentage has and will continue to grow!

    podcastsI have an iPhone so I subscribe and listen to podcast through Apple’s Podcast App.   The app makes it easy to search for and subscribe to podcasts on almost any imaginable topic.

    However, if you don’t have an iOS device, you are not left out.   Even though feedlyAndroid doesn’t have a dedicated podcast app yet, there are MANY options for listening to podcasts.   Some podcasts stream live off the website; or, apps like Feedly and PodcastAddict are available that allow you to subscribe.

    PS.   If your curious about my favorite podcasts, visit my section on PodCast reviews.

     

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    iHeartRadio: Find a Radio Station or Build Your Own

    iHeartRadio2

    A lot of streaming music services exist.   If you ask a handful of people who you know, you are unlikely to get a consensus of what the best streaming option.

    iHeartRadio is one option; it is a popular option for streaming music or talk/sports radio through your phone or computer.

    Part of iHeartRadio’s appeal is undoubtedly the cost; it is free.   It also gives users a choice of ways to listen;  iHeartRadio enables users to listen to live radio or customized, commercial free customized stations.   For instance, when I searched radio stations in Worcester, MA, I was able to locate 32 live radio stations that I can stream.  But I was also able to create customized stations for my favorite artists like Sammy Kershaw, Hal Ketchum, Alabama, etc.   (Obviously, I am a country music fan.  However, different genres are available to meet different tastes.)

    While some users enjoy iHeartRadio’s ability to stream live radio, other users are no longer interested in listening to live radio.   For instance, when I taught freshman business classes a few years ago, I learned that college students no longer listen to the radio when I conducted a “mock” market research activity with the students.  They told me that live radio has too many commercials, and that they much prefer streaming a customized, commercial free station or listening to songs that they have saved to their phone or MP3 players.   I guess that the students taught the professor a lesson in this instance!

    iHeartRadio Website
    iHeartRadio App (Google Play)
    iHeartRadio App (iTunes)

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    OneShar.es: Send Encrypted Information Easily and Securely

    onesharOneShar.es is a simple, easy tool that can help users keep their personal information private.

    As a business owner, I can’t tell you how many people send highly private information, such as social security numbers, via email because they don’t understand how easily unencrypted information can be intercepted.

    OneShar.es allows users to easily send encrypted information to someone else.  Users simply need to access the website or the app, enter their personal information into the given textbox, choose the timetable for access to the information, and select “create link.”

    Users will then receive a link to send to the intended recipient so that they can access the encrypted information.

    Once the recipient views the unique link that you send them, the encrypted message is deleted from the OneShar.es servers. In addition, the private information will self-destruct if the message is not viewed within the timetable specified by the creator.    Poof, like magic, your private information is inaccessible!

    oneshares

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    Doodle: Easy Scheduling

    Doodle is a tool that allows people to schedule a meeting without the common, time-wasting, back-and-forth of trying to decide what date and time is best for most participants.

    The basic version of Doodle is free and easy to use.  Simply set up an account and enter the options for the time and date of your meeting.

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    Then, invite participants via email.

    IMG_1556Once they receive the invite, participants can easily select the dates and times that are best for them.   As the creator of the Doodle event, you are able to easily view the date and time that is best for everyone.   Voila!  Your meeting is planned, and you saved yourself time and (most likely) a headache!
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    Premium versions of program are available.   At the time of this writing, an individual premium membership is $39/year, and a team premium membership is $69/year.  The premium versions of the program add options such as: calendar integration, automatic reminders, no advertisements, notification of missing participants, and SSL encryption.