My Yahoo! Blog

The upcoming date of Sunday, October 10, is pretty unique from a numerical perspective: 10/10/10.  It puts me in a brain-teaser frame of mind, so why not check out some relevant apps to satisfy the occasional craving for a good puzzle?

Check out these goodies I found:

• Braingle — Teasers, quizzes, and memory drills that will sharpen your brain.
• BestCrosswords.com — A steady stream of online crossword puzzles makes a great time-filler.
• Daily Sudoku — Satisfy your craving for this popular game with a daily offering from Sudokuhints.com.
• Smartkit Puzzles — Sharpen your decoding and puzzle-solving skills with this wide variety of brain-teasing activities.
• The Oatmeal — These comic illustrations, quizzes, and totally random items are surprisingly irresistible.

Here’s hoping something unique and memorable will happen to you on 10/10/10!

Tom

My Yahoo! Editorial

September marks the entrance to my favorite part of the year.  A friend of mine in college, who shared my love of autumn, always called it “The Blur” because days and weeks seem to move so quickly during this season.

September is also National Yoga Month, celebrating an activity that can help people relax and stay grounded during this particularly blurry time.  Below are two interesting apps that are great for beginners and experienced yoga practitioners, and one that non-yoga types might still appreciate:

• The Everything Yoga Blog – Great for tidbits and talk about techniques, written by a knowledgeable blogger.
• Yoga Abode – Billed as “the home for all things yoga,” this feed features practical articles and info about upcoming retreats and yoga events.
• Zen Habits – I like this one for its great reminders for unplugging and adopting a more efficient, grounded lifestyle.

Maybe yoga isn’t your thing, and you choose another activity or hobby that helps you relax and appreciate simpler pleasures in life.  For some, home-related projects can have a similar calming function.  If that fits you, check out these:

• Apartment Therapy — Get space-saving ideas from these smart makeovers of small living spaces.
• This Old House – Make home improvements a reality with step-by-step projects and how-to videos.
• New Gardening Blog — The photos and comments can help you keep your garden healthy and pest-free.

I hope you do whatever you can to slow down a bit, so you can better savor ‘The Blur.’

Tom

My Yahoo! Editorial

The ever-expanding world of social networking sites and mobile applications – not to mention must-see viral videos and gadget upgrades – makes my head spin.

I’m sure I’m not alone in this.  So I want to make sure to call everyone’s attention to this very handy app from Mashable.  It’s more than just a news site, although you can catch up on the latest developments that are rapidly changing the social media landscape.

I really like the Web Video and Entertainment portions of the app.  Otherwise I never would have learned about a “super slowed down” version of a Justin Bieber song that went viral. Or seen a wacky, incredible commercial for a product called the “Comfort Wipe.” (See it for yourself.)

Mashable offers an enticing blend of vital trends and random fluff that’s buzzing on the Internet.

Having it on your My Yahoo! page is like being in with the cool kids.

Tom

My Yahoo! Editorial

I could spend all day online amusing myself with videos of animals on a trampoline, online photos of misspelled signs, and learning new jokes that I can pass along to friends. We all love a good laugh, so why not keep a steady stream of humor on your My Yahoo! page?

 Try on these apps for some good yucks: 

• The Onion: Top Stories – There’s no such thing as a slow news day with these funny takes on the news.
• Hilarious.net - The name of this site says it all. It’s easy to lose hours going through the gems you’ll find here.
• Funny Quote of the Day – These offerings are great for a quick chuckle, and you can repurpose them in a variety of comic ways.
• About.com Web Humor – Make every day feel more like April Fool’s Day.
• Humor Videos – Wacky favorites — like the samba-dancing baby — from Yahoo! Video.

 And speaking of animals bouncing on a trampoline, check out these foxes…

– Tom
My Yahoo! Editorial

Reading is especially fun in the summer, sitting outside — whether on a beach, in a park, or nestled in a deck chair. The challenge is deciding what to read.

Many publishers time their new releases for summer readers, and you can always find lists of recommended summer books in magazine and newspapers.

If you enjoy reading as much as I do, chances are you’ve got your own list of books that you’d like to get through this summer. If you want some new titles to add to your list — or start a new one — try exploring these apps to enhance your summer reading pleasure:

• weRead Books — This handy tool lets you organize the books you’ve read and share that list with friends.  You’ll also find more books and authors with the built-in search tool, and see what other weRead members recommend.
• NYT: Books — This feed from the New York Times is an excellent source for new reviews by professional book critics. You’ll also find some related news about happenings in the publishing industry.
• Review-A-Day — You can find some real surprises in this daily feed from the great used book emporium Powell’s in Portland, Oregon. The reviews come from a variety of sources and include books that might not otherwise get much attention.
• So Many Books — This fun blog, subtitled “The Agony and Ecstacy of a Reading Life,” chronicles the adventures of a voracious reader whose tastes go beyond current best-sellers. Most readers should be able to find something here that will generate new ideas and stimulate discussion.
• NPR Topics: Books — Readers of all kinds can find commentary on new books and a variety of literary issues.

 And don’t forget about rereading the oldies but goodies. I’ve been inspired to reread “To Kill a Mockingbird” as a way to celebrate the novel’s 50^th anniversary this month, and it’s the kind of delightful summer reading experience I wish for you all.

 – Tom
My Yahoo! Editorial