Techy Stuff (Apps) and Thank You

Copyright 2013, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

First duty today, is to thank blogger Dorene of Graveyard Rabbit of Sandusky Bay, for the  "Illuminating Blogger Award" she bestowed on Reflections over a month ago.  My bad for not acknowledging her kindness and faith in this blog and writer.  I am humbled and thankful, but, I am currently not participating in passing on awards.  Maybe next time Dorene, and again, there are not enough thankful words.

So, I have spent some time the last week or so looking at new (to me) apps for the iPhone and iPad.  Here are some brief and quick reviews, and three longer reviews.  I will not provide links here, go to the App store and search the names if you are interested.

1.)  PhotoStation,  so new I have not even opened it on the iPhone yet.  OK, I think I found it via a free day, and said, what the heckiedoo, go for it Carol.  And, I downloaded.  And, nothing more.

2.)  Pocket, came well recommended, but, so far, I am not overly ecstatic about it.  You need, if I understand it correctly, the computer version and the version for your iPad/iPhone.  Ok, I did all that, I signed up for password, you know all that mundane stuff.  I cannot get it to function on my iToys, I am having moments of DUH.  I was trying to do this very late in the evening (night) and obviously my brain was not functioning (no comments about a functioning brain please!  LOL).  I never did figure it out.  Next morning I grabbed the computer stuff, tried a few grabs of web pages/blogs.  Not impressed.  Reflections normally is quite heavy in graphics, too heavy sometimes, but, there it is.  I did a capture with the computer version of Pocket, went to read in iPad version, and there are NO graphics, just my text.  FAIL.  Was it a Carol fail or a Pocket fail?  Not sure, have not revisited.  By the way, I did a grab the same blog with Evernote, and ALL graphics were present and accounted for.  Thinking I don't need Pocket.  You think otherwise?  Leave a comment, convince me, and/or tell me how to make it work on the iToys.

3.)  Blogger app, SIGHHH.  Semi fail.  It works, but, with all my graphics, when I go to edit a blog previously posted, there is a lot of HTML stuff in there.  I am no fan of HTML, I mean, really, if my Maker had intended on me using HTML, he would have had me learn it before my senior days or I would have had parents that spoke it as a first language.  BLAHHH.  No, I have no interest in learning HTML.  I recognize it, it semi-scares me. I don't use it except in extreme cases and then it is worse than oral surgery.  I mess it up, I start over, I scream, I cry, I swear purple words, and I mess it up more.  That said, I was able to edit a blog post with some bad spelling errors the other morning at o dark thirty while resting on the futon, so, I can muddle through in an emergency.  I will keep it for now, but, hope I only have a few times that I will really need it, eh??

3.)  CloudOn, see comments on # 1 above, same issues.

4.)  PDF Max Pro, ditto # 1 and # 3.

5.)  Everclip, yep, ditto # 1, # 3 and # 4.  I have used it on the computer, mixed results.

6.)  CalenMob.  TOTAL WIN!!  Like, really loving this app, it syncs beautifully with my Google calendars on the computer, on the iPad, on the iPhone.  Easy to add new appointments, sends out it's own set of reminders (OK, so, I get two sets of reminders, I need two sets some days, just saying).  I have the free version, and for me, it is sufficient.

6.)  National Geographic World Atlas.  Nice.  I have yet to determine how I will use it, but, wow, neat.

7.)  AppsGonefree.  You must manually open the app daily, which, of course, I forget to do most days.  Lots of game apps free, now and then, something like photo editing for iToys is offered.  It is not a bad app, if they could figure out how to notify me of new offerings when they are posted, wowsers, it would be a really good app.

8.)  Penultimate.  By/for Evernote.  Notebook set up for hand written notes (finger written notes in my case).  Idea, yummy.  Syncs to Evernote, cool, love stuff that syncs.  Issue:  Each notebook is sent in total to Evernote, 1 page or 101 pages.  I have yet to figure out how to edit or copy out one singular page or even a portion of the page when it arrives in Evernote.  I will play with this some more but, for now, I am going to limit the notebooks in Penultimate to one page each if I have a serious desire to use it (copy and transfer to other software) once it hits Evernote.  The copy/usage issue is a semi fail in my book.  I will say this, which is a WIN, even with the non-glare film I have on my iPad this WORKS.  My finger can write, draw, annotate, and more.




*  The BIG HUGE MONSTROUS disclaimer.  I use the apps, or not.  I like the apps, or NOT.  I pay for the apps or NOT (free is good, great and even better).  I have not been asked to review any of these apps.  I make no $$ for said reviews, good, bad or indifferent.  Still have questions about my stand on this stuff, required by Federal law, see the tab at the top of Reflections, Disclaim THAT! Beholden to - -

** If you try any of these apps, you are on your own and good luck.  Don't blame me if you hate them, you can, praise me if you love them tho, I love praise.

*** If you know how to work an app that I am having issues with, please contact me, walk me through it, show me the error of my ways.  I also love assistance, and obviously, need same when it comes to some apps!

**** Maybe a first, not one graphic today.  Wonders do happen!

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Ancestor Approved Award

Reflections is pleased as punch to have received this recognition from 3 blogger friends.  Anne from Gene Notes and Linda McCauley from Documenting The Details, and Karen at Ancestor Soup.  Thank you all.

As a recipient of this award, I am to list 10 things I have learned about my ancestors that have surprised, humbled or enlightened me and then pass the award on to 10 other genealogy bloggers who I feel are doing their ancestors proud.

1. Some of the family secrets I learned about my ancestors gave me insight to emotional issues.  Family secrets are not always a good thing.
2. My ancestor, Solomon B. Eley was at Appomattox on the day of surrender.  He died in 1871, most likely from the effects of illnesses he contracted during the Civil War.
3. That an ancestor, who shall remain nameless here on Reflections, may have been a member of the KKK, no proof, just family stories/secrets.  Maybe that was a family secret that was best buried, it sure is not one I am totally comfortable with, and that is why said ancestor is remaining nameless.
4. Man's grandfather, changed his name.  Seems this changing names and disappearing into the wild blue yonder was rather a common occurance back in the early 1900's.  Pre-social security number days.
5. Family members living today do not always know that Gramma "X" had 3 other children who died as infants.  Maybe it was just too painful to share that loss with her other children and/or grandchildren.
6. They either moved a LOT, or NOT.  When they did move, frequently they moved as extended families.  I can trace the Lashbrook clan from England to New York, they lived there for over 10 years, several of the youngsters, were married there.  They move again, en masse, to Illinois, father, mother, children, spouses of children, grandchildren, sometimes even the in-laws.  It was a huge clue when they moved to Iowa and beyond, remembering the "mass" movements has let me knock down a number of brick walls.  The NOT moving is somewhat easier, but tends to result in 2nd cousins marrying 2nd cousins!  LOL
7. I am constantly in awe of ancestors that got on VERY slow moving boats and left their families behind and traveled thousands of miles to a new country in search of better lives.  I know how tired I am traveling via a plane to Europe, for example.  Can you imagine a trip that took weeks?  On a boat, many times as a passenger who was not much more than balast?  Imagine leaving your parents and/or siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and knowing that you will never see them again in your lifetime.  Letters and photos will have to do. And before photos, just letters, thank you.
8. That a distant cousin was the first wife of JC Penney, ya, him!  Her tragic death from pneumonia was before the discovery of Penicillin.
9. My great grandparents had the same great grandparents, see number 6 above.
10. That ANY of my vital records in Hardy County West Virginia were recorded.  After I drove that cove I realized just how far the homesite was from the county courthouse! Takes several hours to drive with improved roads, how DID they do it in buggies and dirt mud roads?

Those that I am honoring to pass the award on to are:

1.  Hummer at Branching Out Through The Years
2.  Terri at The Ties That Bind
3.  Joanne at Keeper of the Records.
4.  Leah at The Internet Genealogist
5.  Kathy at I Will Remember
6.  Tracy at The Pieces of My Past
7.  A newcomer with a fabulous blog, IrishEyes at 'On a flesh and bone foundation': An Irish History
8.  Becky at kinexxions
9.  Gini at Ginisology ~
10.  The Gene Gleaner another new blogger, who just happens to have one of the prettiest templates I have seen. (By the way, if anyone an figure out how to leave a comment on her blog, let her know about the award, I tried a couple of times, and failed.  SIGH)

Congrats to you all.

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence.
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Kreativ Blogger Award & Challenge

Imagine my total surprise this AM when I received not one, but two nominations for the new Kreative Blogger Award.  Thank you Flipside and Cemetery Explorers.

The winner of the award has to list seven things about themselves and then pass the award along to seven other bloggers. Now,if one is nominated TWICE, does that mean I must come up with 14 things about me and 14 new nominations??   Oh, dear!  OKKKK, I am gonna do 8 of each. 

8 things about me

1.) I am passionate about things I love, my family, my friends, my family research, my yorkies, my RV life.

2.) I enjoy antiques, but the family heirlooms are the best antiques ever.

3.) I enjoy volunteering, teaching genealogy and stomping cemeteries in our home county.

4.) There is no greater (and humbling) thrill than helping other researchers find a lost twig, a missing family member, reconnecting with their past.

5.) I love a good Manhattan and Sunset Blush wine from Pentamere (Tecumseh Michigan)

6.) Some of the bestest people in the world do genealogy and RV. These friendships are special beyond words.

7.) I have a dark sense of humor.

8.) Since I have been nominated twice in one day, I am gonna add one more thing about me: I love blogging and they cannot shut me up! 

My nominations are, in no specific order, all creative and frequently inspiring.  I am nominating 8.

1.)  Blind Pig and the Acorn . (Link broken as of October 2018)

2.)  Ancestor Soup

3.)  Genealogy Frame of Mind

4.)  Ginisology ~

5.)  The Research Journal

6.)  A View from the Edge

7.)  Photo-Sleuth

8.)  Generational

I hope you will enjoy reading these blogs as much as I do. 

The twice honored, and twice humbled - - -

*This post brought to you from the road, somewhere on I 69, headed to southern climes.