There's an App for that! And that...and that...

In the days of Smartphones and Tablets, there's always someone sitting somewhere whose fingers are merrily tapping away at the screen of their smartphone, as I am now. Some days there are people taking the extra mile and juggling a smartphone, tablet, AND a laptop. I remember the day I got my new kindle in the mail. I sat at the kitchen table with my iPhone, my kindle, and my laptop, and my roommates took a picture.

And then I'm at a Starbucks one day, sitting at a table with a friend of mine. We're both on our iPhones (4s. Siri. Love my girl Siri.), and some random person stops to ask if we're texting each other. No, sir, we are not- but we ARE each using a different app for our own personal amusement. She, I believe, was using Snapchat (Take a picture, send it to someone else, and they have a designated amount of seconds to look at it, depending on you. I choose six seconds, typically because I figure that's fair enough.). I, on the other hand, was checking in on Foursquare (Check in at a location, leave pictures and/or comments about this location. For example: I check in at Selah Tea Cafe. I take a picture of my awesome Valentines Day cupcake. Now anyone who has Foursquare not only can stalk me at Selah Tea Cafe, but can also tell how awesome their baked goods are.).

There really IS an app for everything. Not that I believe this to be news to any of you, because you may be checking this blog RIGHT NOW from a Smartphone or a Tablet via an app of some kind. I update it frequently through the Blogger app, which is why you may see many, many spelling errors. iPhone 4s, while lovely, doesn't often catch all of the mistakes when typing in Blogger.

And then we come to Instagram!!! Adorable way to share pictures, allowing you to also add filters and frames. Makes them even cooler looking. Maybe there's no productive point, but it's definitely a fun way to play 'amateur photographer' among your peers.

Today I downloaded the Shaws app. Because I'm becoming a crazy bargain hunting lunatic (present company accepted), and the idea of constructively cruising for coupons and deals is more appealing than cruising Pinterest for ideas that, while fun and creative, are things I will likely never do. So I spent a small amount of time shopping the app for ideas on what I may get on my next excursion into the wilds of the grocery jungle.

My god. The list can go on...and on...and on. Evernote is another good app- allows you to keep track of things, add photos, etc. Like a happy little day planner...and made even more fun if you add Skitch, which allows you to doodle in the margins (although only really effective on a tablet).

I'm thinking I'll probably update now and again as I find useful apps (Like the Shaws Supermarket app!), but needless to say...

...if ever you're in need...there's probably an app for that.

Social Media: Extra! Extra!

Hey! What's this? It's social media, this blog. It's media intended to reach out to you, my peeps, and tell you what's up in my world, or what I think of the world, or what have you. Pretty decent, really- it's kind my own newspaper, but without the smell of fresh ink or the sweat and blood involved in putting out a publication of that caliber.

So many people go through phases where they want a break from the social media circus, as it were, and I once upon a time found myself asking why. Why suddenly take a break from Facebook? It's such a lovely way to keep in touch with friends and family. A great way to find people you may have never found. A way to have your voice heard.

Also a great place to be a bully, an insensitive jackass, or to pretend that four years of being a jerk to someone else never happened. "Let's be friends, person I was never friends with in high school!" Sure. I really want to remind myself of the agony you think is no big deal but left me crying in the bathroom during study hall.

The point is: I don't think it's the social media that's the problem. I don't. I think it's the people who use it as a passive aggressive way to simply carry out their agendas, whatever they may currently be. I don't know about anyone else, but when I use Facebook I don't use it to directly attack anyone else. Yes, I've been known to be passive aggressive too- but that's done. I'm done with using my Facebook for anything other than sharing, caring, and funny pictures of cats.

I'd be a hypocrite to say I'm not guilty of abusing Facebook in exactly the way I've mentioned. I'm sure I have more than I think. But Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and Livejournal are also social media, and I love to use those for sharing pictures and stories of what I love in life.

I'm sure this isn't news. People are always the problem, irrational as they may be. You tell people not to panic: they panic. You tell them they can have it their way: they want it their way in the MOST obnoxious way possible. It's what people do.

You say something on social media for everyone to see: they probably see it. And other people see it. And their other people see it. It's a shame, really- but sometimes a break is necessary, even if you enjoy it. Because one rock can send a ripple through the whole pond, and it can be seen for a while, depending on the size of the rock.

"On Twitter we get excited if someone follows us. In real life we get really scared and run away." ~Unknown via @mozusa