12 random pics from my iphone

You know, I'm not so narcissistic to think that anyone really cares about the pics I have on my cellphone.  Since I have approximately one blog reader (me), I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the (one) reader would totally be OK with looking at my random pics. In case someone else happens to stumble upon this blog, I will explain what you are looking at, mostly because I am really nice sometimes.

My son just got this tattoo, each letter represents the first initial of his and his siblings names.

I took this picture inside the car wash. I liked the way the colors dripped together.

This is me getting a silly kiss from my husband.

This is what I sometimes see when I first open my eyes in the morning.  My dog's nose, inches from my face.

Weirdo selfies that Brooke takes when she snags my phone.

I love to take pics of my kids sleeping. This was particularly cute to me because B had a furry mask on her face.

I loved the light on the ball at Epcot. I think it came out pretty good for an iPhone pic.

Just a cute shot of Brooke meeting Chewbaca, her favorite Star Wars character.

I made these cupcakes for a Superbowl party we went to. In case you were wondering, I was betting on Denver...

I like messing around with these magnet word things.

My brother in law Ty showing everyone his "tattoo."

3 of my 4 cute kids. 

Disney, and a sucky thing about technology

Brooke and I were recently in Orlando to visit a few parks.  It was such a nice little getaway, just her and I, which is kind of unusual these days.

Anyway, the last time we were at the parks was a few years ago. Several things have changed since we were last there - they've added a new section to Magic Kingdom with a few new rides and attractions, they've tweaked a few things at Epcot.  I also noticed a few minor changes at Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.  

But I have to say that the most noticeable and distressing difference was how many people were on their cellphones or iPads, at the park and during the time of the fun with friends or family.  I was seriously shocked, no kidding.  And I really enjoy my cellphone!  Every single line that we were on, approximately 75% of the people waiting had their eyes facing down at their screens.  They'd even clog the line because they were too distracted to notice that people ahead of them had moved forward.  There was such a complete lack of interest in anything that was happening outside of their handheld devices, their virtual worlds.

How sad is that?!  You're at Disney World! The most magical god damned place on Earth!  Why can't people look at each other and talk to each other?

I get that lines can be long and sucky, I really do. I'm sure using games or perusing Facebook helps pass the time. But nobody was even interacting!  Not that it has to be a party-like atmosphere at all times or anything, but like, nobody seemed to be bouncing around with excitement at almost being on a ride.  It didn't seem like anyone was talking about what might be ahead, about what was around the next corner, about what to expect on the ride or at the attraction, or what they were going to do next after the ride.

Parents were distracted on their phones, kids were busy on their devices...  like, "no big deal... it's only Disney World..."

I used my cellphone for a few things, for sure. I used it as a camera. It was nice not to have to lug around my DSLR, and the quality of my iPhone camera is pretty good. I used it to check on wait times for certain attractions. I didn't want to trek a mile to the Tower of Terror if the line was 75 minutes long, so that was convenient.  I also used it to remind myself what times my Fast Passes were. But jeez, going through the parks, so many people were walking with their faces down, completely missing all of the cool and awesome things surrounding them.  
Maybe I'm dumb, and maybe I should be normalized to such a thing, but I really was surprised and sad about it.  My ten-year-old kid even said, "Why are so many people not even paying attention?  We're at Disney!"

How in the world are people going to get back to actually being in the moment, instead of "kind of near" the moment?  Do people even want to?

A while back, I was walking to the beach with my kids and some family, and I was carrying my iPhone in such a way that you could see the sky and the clouds - I was trying to get a cool shot for Instagram.  So I said to Megan, "Hey Meg, look at how blue the sky looks on my phone!"  And her response was, "Or you could actually look at the real sky," and she pointed upwards.

And I was like, oh wow.  It was a huge eye-opener, a light bulb moment, and she was totally right.  The real sky and being in the moment is so much better than a picture.

I just hope people haven't already completely forgotten that...

modern day interaction

Things are so different now, the way people interact in this modern tech-savvy time that we live in.  

Whoa.  I kind of feel like an old person saying such a thing.  Like when my Nan would say, "Back in my day..."

But really, it is completely different than it was back in my day!  They were simpler times, in my opinion.  There's no such thing as tossing the guy you're crushing on an innocent little football shaped note with "do you like me circle Y or N" scribbled on it during math class.  Instead you snapchat him a picture of your boobs apparently.  But that is a conversation for another post.

OK, well, maybe if you were 11 the football note was appropriate.  But these days, it's like, nobody actually talks anymore.  Face to face I mean.  Everyone hides behind a screen.  A computer, an iPad, a smart phone... I know that I am guilty of it.  How sadly impersonal though, right?

Sometimes I strongly consider giving up my iPhone and laptop, just to see how long I could do it.  Just to see how life would be without it, like it used to be in the olden days.  I bet I would get a ton more done, I'd be so much more productive.  I know I would read actual books more.  

It is rare for me to ever forget my phone, but when I do, it's like I forgot one of my kids, and I am ashamed and filled with anxiety til I get it back.  Isn't that kind of crazy?  That we are SO dependent on these little things?  Of course, I say that as I am sitting at my computer, typing a document to post to all of the random and unknown people of the www, but that's neither here nor there.  Right?

There are these intense discussions about the way people go about "life" now...  I'm not sure how great I would be at doing it this way if I had to, as a teenager.  I mean, being young and like, never having known a time when so much information, so much technology was right there in front of your face, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  When you were always tethered, never actually alone.  

Sometimes having a cellphone is like having a ball and chain attached to your ankle.  You are always reachable.  You never get a break to just breathe, and enjoy real life without interruption.  You can never be alone.

I might do an experiment and give up technology.  Any bets on how long I could last?

app happy - my latest top 10 apps

I feel like everyone has an iphone.  Like, if you don't have one, why?  I suppose other smartphones have the same capacity, but I am definitely pro-apple.

I love to be organized, and I love to have as much as my shit consolidated as possible.  The iphone is perfect for consoloidating shit.  I'd probably be great at advertising.  "Great for consolodating shit!"  would be my slogan.  OK fine, I would suck in advertising.  

So anyway, I like to make my life easier because I can be busy and overloaded at times.  And I really do like to get the most out of my iPhone.  The following apps are the ones that help make my life a little bit easier and more organized:

1. Spotify.  I love this music app, which is why it is my number one.  I definitely use it every single day; at home, in the car, at the gym, on a walk, in a box, with a fox.  I've checked out a bunch of different music apps and I've found this is by far the best one.  The app itself is free, but I pay monthly to be able to download an unlimited about of music, and I think it's well worth it.

2. Mapmywalk.  This is a super cool fitness app, another one that I use a ton.  It's free, which is great.  It's really cool - you can see exactly how far you've walked and the time it took you.  It talks to you during your walk even, telling you your progress.  You can get coaching and sync your music, though I'm not too familiar with that aspect of it.  It also logs other exercise if you like to keep track of that stuff.  Definitely worth checking out.

3. Shazam.  OK, this is another great music app, and it's also free.  I've used this a lot.  What it does is help you figure out the name of a song that you don't know.  Like one time, I was in this furniture store, and there was a song playing that I totally remembered from back in the day, but I couldnt place it.  So I just opened the app, it listened to the song for a sec, then told me what the name of the song was.  And then all was right in the universe. Very cool!

4. Camera360.  (free) So far this has been my favorite photo app, and I've checked out a bunch of them.  It helps me mess with pictures and give them all sorts of cool edits and stuff.  It seriously is so easy and self-explanatory, even people who aren't familiar with editing can figure it out.  And at this point, it's the app that makes me look the least wrinkley, so I am all for it!

5. Period Tracker.   (free) OK, this one is pretty much just for girls.  I don't really know too may women who don't already have this tracker, but just in case, I'll tell you about it.  It's a great tool for (obviously) tracking your period - when to expect it, what kind of symptoms you have, when you're fertile, etc.  It even has a little ticker on it to track when you're intimate.  Because you know, that could be important.  And for the moody people out there, it also helps you track your moods.  Yay!

6. Heart Rate.  This (free) app is pretty much self explanatory.  I like to see what my heart rate is before, during and after exercise, probably because I'm weird.  It's so cool though, all you have to do is put your finger over the camera for a minute, and it tells you your heart rate.  It also tracks your history if you like to look back on that stuff.

7. Retailmenot.  (free) I'm a bargain hunter.  It just makes me feel better about shopping and spending money if I get some sort of deal on whatever I'm setting out to buy.  This app is great because you can quickly check to see if there are any current coupons for whatever store you are shopping in, and then go ahead and use that coupon, right there, digitally.  I never shop online without checking it out, because at the very least, you can find a promo code for free shipping.  

8. Dashlane.  (free) I have been using this app for a while now, and it's seriously saved me tons of stress and hassle.  It's a password manager, and makes keeping track of passwords and personal information (passwords, email addresses, IDs, credit cards, secure notes, etc)  really easy.  If you're anything like me and feel like you're mentally overloaded with that kind of stuff, it is so worth it.

9. Remote.  This (free) app has saved my life on so many occasions.  It's a totally easy-to-use app that turns your phone into a remote control (for apple tv or iTunes).  There have been far too many times where my apple tv remote control has mysteriously disappeared right before I am about ready to sit down to a marathon of Breaking Bad or something.  So necessary.

10. Hopstop. (free) I like to travel around, and for some odd reason, and I particularly like public transportation.  I know I'm weird.  Besides being weird I have a shitty sense of direction and can totally get lost or confused in big cities. First of all, it gives you transit maps to rail systems in most cities.  It also gives you directions to the closest subway stations or bus stops, the schedules for trains busses and ferries, and best of all, it gives you detailed directions (and travel time) via subway, bus, walking and biking.  It is practically impossible to get lost with this app. 

TRAVEL app happy - favorite travel apps for the iphone

tripit
Get Organized!
I used to ­arrive at the airport or car-rental counter frantically searching through a pocket full of wrinkled printouts for my confirmation number and other reservation details. Now, with the TripIt app, they are all consolidated neatly in the palm of my hand. I forward my flight, hotel, and other confirmation e-mails to plans@tripit.com, and TripIt combines them into one organized itinerary, adding information such as weather, maps, and driving directions. (free)

packingpro
Pack Like a Pro
Packing Pro is a mobile app made for super list makers. It helps you remember what to pack and can also serve as evidence of what you packed if your luggage were ever lost. You work from one of many sample lists of items to pack, or you can create your own and tick off items as they go into your luggage. It has a handful of other neat features too. ($3 fee)

flight tracker
Be aware!
There is nothing more frustrating than making an hours-long commute to your airport only to find out your flight has been delayed for half a day or cancelled altogether. The Flight Tracker app aims to make this a thing of the past. Now, you can track flights with amazing maps, and receive real-time info on departure info, delays and gate assignments. (free)

gate guru
Airport Info
If you ever have a long connection through Chicago O'Hare, you'll want to know exactly where to go for the best sandwiches. At San Francisco International Airport, there's a yoga room where you can relax and stretch before your next flight. Or the spot in Denver International Airport where you can get a massage. With this app, you'll have all sorts of great tips and lists of services to help you navigate the world's best and worst airports. (free)

localeats

Eat Like a Local

Sometimes your only food choices are in a strip mall (and that’s when that Restaurant Nutrition app comes in handy) but sometimes there’s a ­colorful local restaurant just a mile or two off the highway that you would never have known about without the Localeats app. Choose “Nearby” and the app will pull up non-chain spots close to you that are recommended by local food critics. You can even ­peruse menus! (.99)

foodspotting
A Foodie's Best Friend
Perfect for travelers in search of the best restaurants, this app is powered by users' own reviews and pics, making it a foodie's best friend. For each city, users can browse the app's selections alphabetically, by category, rank, and even neighborhood location. You can also search for nearby restaurants on the list based on your current GPS location. (free)

hotel tonight
Last Minute Lodging
If you’re in a U.S. city or London and need lodgings at the last minute, Hotel Tonight offers steep discounts at a selection of luxurious and hip hotels.  Rates are ­announced no earlier than noon the day of check-in. Since rooms sleep just one or two people and you can’t request a specific bed type, this app works only for solo travelers and couples. Many hotels let you stay multiple nights at the discounted rate. (free)

hipmunk
Flight and Hotel Search
Hipmunk may seem like your run-of-the-mill flight and hotel aggregation search app, but it does one cool thing that I haven't seen any other travel app do: It includes non-traditional lodging, such as listings from Airbnb and HomeAway.  Also, the Hipmunk app searches flights based on costs and filters them based on different variables. Hipmunk was designed to help people who are overwhelmed with pages of irrelevant search results. (free)

google translate
Communicate with the locals!
Spanning over 50 languages, Google Translate allows you to translate text between 57 languages, receive translation by speaking into the phone for 15 languages, display translations so that they are easier to read, and much more. This is the definition of a game-changer. (free)

hopstop
Get to Where You're Going
One of my favorite apps, hopstop provides directions via subway, bus, regional rail, walking, and/or bicycle.  It also offers multiple route suggestions, schedules for hundreds of trains, buses, and ferries and official transit maps for many cities.  You'll never get lost again! (free)