iTunes Podcast: Yogadownload.com

I'm really into my Yoga teacher - Kim (NYSC, Verick Street, Thursday's @ 7:30). She's an 85lb contortionist and amazingly sweet and forgiving of my "I'm a foot away from touching my toes" flexibility level. But, Kim only teaches one night a week, and Yoga is turning out to be the one thing at the gym I really enjoy, so in the spirit of that, I'm looking for a band-aid pod-cast to keep me Kim'mafied Friday through Monday.

Exploring the free podcast world of iTunes, I downloaded "YogaDownload.com - 20 Min Yoga sessions." I think there's only five sessions entirely, not like a new one every week. YogaDownload.com sells these podcasts, so I can't imagine they just post them all on iTunes for free.

The instructor is very Kim - She speaks slowly, she's encouraging, she praises me. The free classes are not Level 1 beginner - You'll have to take a few Yoga classes and see people doing the poses to know what she's talking about. I'd say these are at the intermediate level - For people who understand what the poses should look and feel like, but she's not asking you to do a lotus or headstand.

The website also has a helpful picture download of all the poses mentioned.

Half.com - Recycle Income

I've made over $375 on Half.com in the past six months. This is why I love Half.com:

• No Listing Fee
• Listing Never Expires
• 100% Shipping Reimbursement - They credit you more than you need
  
• Easy Bulk Entry - ISBN Number, Condition, Price - They give you gauge, based on what's listed
• Direct Deposits!

Could this get easier? Everything I own with an ISBN number is on Half.com (except Harry Potter). It sits there, it sells, I make money, directly deposited into WaMu! These things add up. I've made an average of $62 a month, and I feel no loss - I feel a less cluttered apartment. Thumbs up for Half.com.

iPod Shuffle: New Favorite Thing

I may be behind the times on this one - The iPod Shuffle (this model) did come out, what, a year ago? But I never got it because it was $80, and I was so hooked on hand picking my songs, playlists - I need options.

I got my iPod Shuffle yesterday (a gift), and I learned very quickly that (a) I do not need options, nor do I want them (b) I need, and want, and love, this postage stamp portability, like nothing else. Forget buying a puppy, I have an iPod Shuffle, and oh I could just eat it right up.

So small, SO small. I bet that picture is bigger than the actual model. As light as a penny. A feather. A waft of fresh maple syrup in the morning.

If you don't have an iPod - This is the model to get. Remember listening to the radio? It's similar, but you're in control and it's all your favorite songs. There are seven buttons on this thing, including (my favorite) an on/off switch - Thank you Steve for realizing I want this clear cut messaging from my electronics. "Hit pause twice, and um, hold it down." Leave me alone, and give me a toggle button, I miss the 90's.

If you do have an iPod and it's not a shuffle, you've already spent too much money on iPods, so check out eBay - They're selling for $25 to $40.

Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing!

The boyfriend and I tried out Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing last night. Tickets were $15 a piece. There is a dance lesson from 6:30 - 7:30, which was indispensably helpful and debilitating. It had to have been 95 degrees during the lesson, and dance, which made the event a little too Survivor. The live band and vocalists came on around 8:00 - They were wonderful, and classic. All the big band songs you'd know from the 30's, 40's and 50's - Bobby Darin, Frank, Judy...

You're probably just as happy standing 15 feet outside the dance floor, dancing for free on the rest of the plaza.

Overall, great experience.

Tips: Don't bring a bag.

Adium for Apple OS X

Adium is a Jabber service available for Apple OS X. For those who are savvy enough to buy Apple Computers (AAPL), I take it there is a majority who know the joys of Adium. If you don't, these are the joys:

• Customizable to a staggering point. Font, size, shape, theme, sounds, transparency, auto-hiding, alerts...
• No ads (Hello AIM).
• Adorable little duckies.
• Tabbed chat windows, that can be dragged into other chat windows.
• One list of all your friends, whether they are on AIM, Google Talk, Jabber, etc.
• Spell check
• It's free, and open source (meaning, developers all over the world contribute to it's security, features, and debugging)

If you own an Apple Computer, download Adium here.

Netflix - Great Service

My friends Meredith and Pat recommended Netflix (NFLX) to me last summer. I signed up for a two week free trial and was immediately impressed with the speed at which my DVD's arrived and continued to arrive as I sent them back. I will say after you're a full fledged member the DVD's do seem to arrive slower than they did in the trial (curious), still - This is a great service.

Let's look at the most appealing factor of Netflix - The price points.

• 1 at a time - $4.99/Mo. (Don't get this, I don't even understand why they offer this - Who is this coy?)
• 1 at a time (unlimited) - $9.99/Mo. (Acceptable subscription for those who watch movies)
• 2 at a time (unlimited) - $14.99/Mo. (Right on target, but the next upgrade is only $3 more!)
• 3 at a time (unlimited) - $17.99/Mo. (Their most popular subscription - And lavishly necessary if you're catching up on 24, Grey's Anatomy...in my case, West Wing.)

How it works: You shop around (every movie and TV show imaginable), keep a queue, and the DVD's keep coming as you send them back - you get new DVD's a day or two later.

Blockbuster has a service as well, which allows you to receive DVD's by mail and at the stores - Exact same prices, even a dollar cheaper if you opt to only be serviced by mail. This is why I don't like Blockbuster: They've had outrageous prices for years: $5.99 + tax is not what I'd like to pay to rent one DVD. So, I'm punishing them, and rewarding Netflix for coming up with this cheap, convenient, method first. Also, is it just me, or did all the Blockbusters close?

Netflix is also an incredible gift, especially when you want to give a "home" (family, roommates) a present. I gave my boyfriend's family Netflix for Hanukkah, and they're loving it - They signed up for a full membership. Every time I'm there we have a discussion about their Netflix movies, and how much they love it.

Additional Perks:

• Watch it Now - Depending on your membership, you can download movies and watch them right away - I don't think Blockbuster offers this.
  
• HD DVD's and Blue Ray DVD's are available at no additional cost.

NYSC - 0$ to Join

I'm a member of NYSC - The club near my apartment is brand new, never crowded , and full of helpful (attractive) trainers. The classes are phenomenal: At the end of my Thursday night yoga class a professional violinist plays while we meditate.

I pay $69 a month - $20 is subsidized by my employer. Many employers (including mine) have promotional rates with NYSC...which is really just the standard rate upgraded to "Passport" at no additional cost.

Passport allows you to go to any NYSC, any time - Upgraded from, your gym + other gyms at non-peak hours (including weekends). I joined before I got my job, and I never bothered upgrading to Passport. I am at the level of simply trying to go to my home club - forget other clubs.

I happened to join during one of the may promotional moments of NYSC's history. I think I scraped by with a $20 join fee. Currently 0$ to join until June 30th. You have to join for two years, but if you need to bail early, you can always transfer your membership to someone else, and I'm sure Craigslist would be helpful for that.