TresSugar

Dear Poll: Are You Easy to Get Ahold Of?

DearSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:00:00 -0700

In this day and age, where most of us carry a BlackBerry, a cell phone, an iPhone, or maybe even all three, it's easier than ever to get ahold of people. My mom, for instance, always has her phone with her, no matter the day or the time. Then there's my BFF, who is notorious for never answering her phone and lagging on her email responses. While I understand the need to disconnect every once in a while, I love knowing that I can always rely on certain people in my life to answer my call or return my text. Where do you fall on the accessibility spectrum? Are you one that always has your phone out on the table, just in case, or do you prefer to remain a little out of touch?

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Momma Said: Maybe Your iPhone Can Message My Blackberry

TresSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:00:00 -0700

This week the Postcards From Yo Momma editors are preparing us for Mother's Day by helping us understand mom. Now authors of a book - Love, Mom - they should know!

Today we have a common type of mom - the Technically Challenged Mom. One, geek knows all too well. Sure, she's savvy enough to own a BlackBerry, but that doesn't mean she wants to use it. Besides, she only wants to hear your voice.

To see the email and what authors Doree Shafrir and Jessica Grose had to say, read more.

Missed your call. Maybe your i-phone can send a message to my BlackBerry.

Doree and Jessica: This newfangled technology confounds me. You should probably just call me back on the land line.

Photo credit: Brad Walsh

Looking For A Badonka - Donk Blackberry

DearSugar — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 16:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar
I need a blackberry or a trio or something I can access my e-mails on. What do you suggest? Wired Wyle

Dear Wired Wyle
Blackberry's (not to be mistaken for blackberries - the fruit) are better than Trios. I would go over to Cingular and check out the four models they carry so that you can have e-mail and web browsing in the same kind of smartphone.

All of the models have e-mail, internet and phone services in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. They have a full PC style keyboard(33 keys)and a talk time up to four hours. They are small, light(about 5 ounces), and the original model costs about $1150 right now. The newer ones out now have a newer bluetooth capability and a color screen.

The newest pimped out model runs about $300 now and is loaded with speakerphone, GPRS, EDGE, GSM and bluetooth compatibility. It's a little bit sleeker looking, it's got a larger and color screen display and it sort of acts like a HP Compaq or Palm Pilot with all of it's new organizational tools. It also has a 35 style keyboard.

The Treo sells for $400. I happen to think that it looks cool - and I won't lie to you, the differences between the two are slim. The Treo is made by Palm and it's loaded with similar/comparable features as the Blackeberry.

I guess it really just depends on what your needs are. Either of these are an excellent choice, but I would go with Cingular's Blackberry. I think they have better customer service - and why pay more when you don't need to.

Blackberry Envy

DearSugar — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 08:21:45 -0800

Dear Sugar,
My man is constantly on his Blackberry. He's always e-mailing people or playing some kind of Tetris game. He's obsessed with trying to break his own high score. It really bothers me. He can't part with his Blackberry and he's so protective of it, that I can't help but wonder if he's hiding something from me. What makes me even more sensitive is that my friend found out that her boyfriend of 8 years was cheating on her through e-mail. I know that trust is really important in any relationship, but my nosiness is getting the best of me. He won't even let me have a peek at it and I'm bugging. He says that based on principle, I need to learn to respect his privacy. It's making me nervous. I mean, didn't just recently Heather Locklear catch Richie cheating on her over e-mail? I've tried to talk to him about it, but I'll never get what I want. How can I learn to trust him without feeling like a complete jealous freak? Nosy Nelly

Dear Nosy Nelly
If you ain't got trust, you ain't got nuthin'. But I do hear what you are saying. If your friend just found out that her hubby cheated over e-mail and at the same time the Heather/Richie scandal breaks, it could get any rational thinker wondering about what her own man's up to. What you have to remember is that these guys aren't your guy - and projecting your insecurities onto him really isn't fair. But at the same time, being in a loving relationship means having to be open and honest, and he is acting oddly protective of his Blackberry. He sounds a little adolescent; so I can see where your curiosity is coming from. So here's a suggestion; propose a half hour swap session. He gets free reign to look at your e-mail and you have access to the enigmatic Blackberry. It's only fair.

Dear Poll: Whose Blackberry Would you Want to Read?

DearSugar — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 10:30:00 -0700

Do you all remember when Paris Hilton misplaced her Blackberry? All her private conversations and phone numbers were splashed over every news station causing complete and utter mayhem.

Even though celebrities tote around handbags large enough to be filled with a week's worth of clothing, their Blackberries never leave their hands. Wouldn't you like to know what's so important that they can't put down their phone, even if it's just for a minute? If you could find one celebrity Blackberry, whose personal e-mails and calendar would you want to look through?

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Bostonians Would Give Up Sex Over Cell Phones

TresSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0700

What does it say about the future of the human race when people would rather give up sex for a year than go without a cell phone for the same amount of time? I guess it means that technological communication is truly becoming more important than old-fashioned face-to-face interaction, even the type of face-to-face interaction that involves having sex. Come on, people! What good is a booty call without the booty? Is sexting really better than sex?

In a survey sponsored by none other than Samsung Mobile, 31 percent of adults in Boston said they would rather give up sex for a year than go without cell phones for a year. Apparently, relying on email, hard-to-find pay phones, and immobile landlines is much more burdensome than forgoing sex.

Considering that I know people who literally sleep with their BlackBerrys, I suppose I'm not really that shocked by these results.

Depressed? Ecotherapists Say, "Go Take a Hike!"

TresSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:30:00 -0700

Although some depressed people think they should see a psychotherapist or get meds prescribed (or both), psychologists from the burgeoning field of eco-therapy have a simpler prescription: go outside and mingle with nature.

We humans, they argue, evolved to interact with nature and the outdoors, but beginning with the Industrial Revolution two centuries ago, we've largely become alienated from that world. Now that more than half of the world's population lives in cities, and those lives are increasingly taken over by computers and BlackBerrys (or iPhones), some people don't go outside at all except to travel from their homes to their offices. In fact, eco-therapists say that when their patients' begin writing in a nature journal to record how much time they spent outside, their records are pretty pathetic: most people spent less than 15 to 30 minutes walking to and from their cars!

I went on a long weekend in Yosemite recently, and although I'm not the type who loves not bathing for four days - it was wonderful not to get one email or phone call. Instead, I slept soundly from hiking so much and woke up looking at mountains, trees, and woodland creatures. We don't all need to go camping to cure the blues, though. Researchers have found that simply taking a walk outside every day could have the same effect as an antidepressant in treating moderate depression. I believe it.

Word du Jour: Boss Lady

TresSugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Perhaps it’s too early to reclaim a word that has yet to enter the lexicon the way “b*tch” did, but I would argue “boss lady” comes close.

It’s dating expert Rachel Greenwald’s word for a successful woman who doesn’t tone down her confident and opinionated self on dates. If you're a boss lady, according to Greenwald, it's the number one reason “he didn’t call you back.” (Oh, brother.)

The author of (you guessed it) Why He Didn’t Call You Back, interviewed thousands of apparently insecure men who told her this was the number-one type of woman they would never call back. So, uh, that means if you’re a boss lady - pretend to be someone you’re not in order to snag someone who doesn’t like who you are!

This proud boss lady right here says - good riddance to a man who needs to me say “I think” and “maybe” so he doesn’t shrink in fear. (Are we living in the ‘50s?) I've dated plenty of men who loved my moxie, and the best dating advice I can think of is "Be yourself!" Other gems of advice from Greenwald? Dress like a woman (whatever that means), don’t state too many opinions, and don’t text on your BlackBerry before your date arrives lest he sees you’re busy and (egads!) are gainfully employed.

Are you a boss lady? Would you revert to ‘50s-era ideals of femininity so that he calls you back?

Momma Said: I Was Stalking Andrew but Found You

TresSugar — Sat, 09 May 2009 02:00:00 -0700

This week the Postcards From Yo Momma editors are preparing us for Mother's Day by helping us understand mom. Now authors of a book - Love, Mom - they should know!

Our last email is from an increasingly popular mom - the Technically Savvy and Loving It. She's probably your Facebook friend and if she wants to know what you're up to, she'll Google you. The bright side? She'll never ask your iPhone to send her BlackBerry a message. Probably! Technically Savvy and Loving It moms are known to have Technically Challenged-mom tendencies.

To see the email and authors Doree Shafrir and Jessica Grose's response, read more.

RE: The Internet
Your profile looks like you are still in NYC writing books . . .

Love you, Mom the Stalker (actually I was stalking Andrew, but found you)

Doree and Jessica: Keep your Internet profiles clean as a whistle, big momma is watching.

Photo credit: Brad Walsh

10 Reasons Barack Obama Is the First Cool President

TresSugar — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 03:00:30 -0700

Regardless of what they think about his policies, a lot of Americans agree that President Obama might be the nation's first hip president. While some think his style is elusive and hard to define, I've narrowed down 10 things that make Barack Obama cooler than other commanders in chief.

Here's my list:

He's addicted to tech: He refused to give up his BlackBerry becoming the first emailing president.
He's not self-conscious: While he's sort of a goofy dancer, Barack sure looked cool when he came out grooving on Ellen's show.
He inspires teen slang: At one Albany, NY high school teens respond to a sneeze with "Barack you." (Barack does mean blessed.)
He's not uptight: The White House work day starts at 9 a.m. and it's not necessary to wear a jacket in the oval office.
He's married to Michelle: Nothing makes you more cool than having an inspiring partner by your side.

To see the rest, read more.

He doesn't get bitter: As Fred Armisen demonstrates on SNL, Obama can't hold a grudge. Hillary's Secretary of State! Joe Lieberman got to keep his powerful position in Congress. Barack even got friendly with rival John McCain right after the election.
He brought basketball to the White House: Not only did he promise to install a court, but he also correctly predicted that North Carolina would win the NCAA tournament.
He keeps up with the memes: Barack showed Beyonce his "Single Ladies" moves at the inauguration.
He can tell a good joke (sometimes): At his online townhall he joked that his virtual audience was probably high. But his sense of humor can flop too - like the time he made an insensitive joke involving the Special Olympics.
R&B artists just stop by his house: On Tuesday, Usher dropped in (without an invitation) to the White House to watch President Obama sign the Serve America Act.

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