iOS 5 Quick Tips

So, I am using an iPad 2 and iPhone 4S both on iOS 5.  One of the cool tricks I have found out is free texting.  This is done through Apple's iOS 5 Update using iMessage.



Now in order for this to be free, you have to text from one iOS 5 Device (iPhone 3GS, 4, and 4S/iPod Touch 3 and newer/iPad 1 and 2 are capable of being updated*). Example: iPhone 4 can send a text to an iPad with someone's Apple ID (how you buy Apps and use iCloud), all for free!

This is a great explanation for anyone interested in keeping your conversations in sync through your multiple iOS 5 devices.  Please give it a read and ask me if you have any questions.  I hope this quick tip helps you get the most out of your devices!

Using iMessage to its Potential

More on iMessage

What makes things Interesting?

"If you think God boring, that is not primarily His fault.  If we believed God to be interesting, how much more would we get out of our prayers?" -Isaac Hunter (from what I remember him saying on 2/19/12)

Something so majestic should give me insight to a Creator so Creative

 VS   

Something that is fun to use but I could break very easily  

I like a lot of things and with that, I am easily distracted whenever I think about any of those "things".  This tends to keep me from doing things that I value or want to do but just need to focus more on doing.  You know how it is when you are in the middle of doing something productive, and then have a thought and run with it, yet the thing you were doing, or were about to start never got finished.... or even started.

In thinking about this quote, I can humbly say that I have fallen victim to this mindset.  Choosing to pass my time with my vices: MacRumors.com, games on my computer or iPad, trying to fix something when it doesn't need to be fixed, but I want to see if I can make it even a little better, I realized that these things interest me more than the God of the Universe.

That is not ok.

I believe that God puts passions and desires in our hearts, and I far too often allow these to distract me from what is beneficial to my mind, heart and soul.  God wants us to realize that He loves us, that He desires us.  The kind of desire that we cannot fathom.  Like that of a good father with his newborn son... times infinity!  Loving us more than we can ever know and more than we can imagine!  And in all that love, He created everything to show off His creativity, and I look past it so often.

The truth of the matter is that I believe He created everything.  He truly is the most interesting One in the universe.

How would my life look different if I believed that daily?

How would yours?

Macbook Pro Short Cuts

I love using my Apple products because of all of the short cuts.  Don't you just love when you know something so well and enjoy how it makes your life easier?  I know I do and I want to know what short cuts you use often too!

Here are a list of the making-my-life-easier short cuts that I use daily:
Key:  Command=CMD  /  Option=OPT  /  Shift=SHFT  /  `=next to the number 1  / Control=CTL
What you do is press and hold the first key and (+) then press the second key and something happens.

Spotlight- CMD + Spacebar
This allows you to locate ANYTHING on your computer.  Now, when I say anything, I don't just mean an application or something on your desktop.  This is a quick search for anything written exactly as you write it.  When you "spotlight" something, on the top right of your Mac a magnifying glass turns blue and you can start typing.  I use this for opening applications, contact cards from Address book, my journal that I work on in pages.  The possibilities are endless..

Application Switching- CMD + Tab (don't let go of CMD but do let go of Tab after you press it)
You will see a list of all the open apps pop up on your screen.  If you look at your dock (the list of apps typically on the bottom of your screen) any app that has a blue dot under it is considered open and running, even if no window is open.
How I use this is to alternate between applications, going from Safari to Mail and then from Mail to iPhoto.  Every time you tap the Tab button while holding down Command you move apps.  Then when whatever app you end in, that app opens when you let go of Command.

Quick Look- highlight a file + spacebar
This is one of the hidden tricks that I love about my Mac.  Say you receive an email for a spreadsheet document for work.  You just need to take a quick glance at it now and really work on it later.  Single click the attachment (using Apple Mail, not in a web browser like Safari or Chrome), then just tap space bar once.  This will open a snapshot of that document.  This works when in finder, looking for that picture to upload to Facebook.  No need to know exactly where it is, just find a photo, press spacebar.
It is a quick look without opening the application needed to manipulate that file.  Great for PDFs in email and checking to make sure the file you want to edit is the right one.

I hope that you enjoyed these.  What are your favorite short cuts?

For more here is Apple's List of Commands.

RedLight RedLight

Day two and I don't know what I really want to write about.  I want to try to get into a habit of using social media more effectively and I think getting a post out today will help me in that direction.  If you blog often and enjoy it, I'd love to hear some pointers because I know that I won't get better on my own.

So tonight I am going to hang out with some people that I used to work with.  It is a going away party at Redlight Redlight Beer Parlour near downtown Orlando.  I have been there once before and thought the atmosphere was not the best for talking, you know the kind of atmosphere that is loud and dimly lit and in order to talk to the person next to you its nothing less than yelling.  But the beer selection was great and I am looking forward to trying a new Brown Ale tonight.  I am also looking forward to seeing friends from the Fruit Company and wishing Chris off well.

When it comes to beer, I like darker beers, wheat, slight bit of fruit: Blue Moon (all varieties), Samuel Adams, Guinness, New Castle.  So if you enjoy beer, specifically a darker beer and/or have been to Redlight Redlight a few times, what do you recommend I try?

Now, what should I do in order to save up some calories so that I don't go over my "calorie budget" too much today?

Getting Started and Updated

I am one who loves technology and understand the benefits of social media, yet I have not yet pursued using it to my advantage. So I am going to start... You have to start sometime and so I am going to jump in.

Friday I pulled into our driveway (aka my in-laws drive way because we are living with them right now). Cool thing about my car: I had to roll my window down in order to open my door because the inside latch was broken. Then, I tried to roll my window back up and guess what... It wouldn't shut!

Saturday I began the process of fixing my window and door. Turns out that it would cost $45 to fix and I was already looking to sell my car. I don't think I will get that much if I were to fix it so I decided to fix the original issue: My window wouldn't shut.... Now, my window won't open- Problem solved!

I learned more about my car than I ever thought I would. How to take the door off, what connects to this that controls that. It was a good experience. I wouldn't have been able to do most of it without my help from my Father-in-Law. Thanks!

So, there is my first post. Thanks for sticking through it and look forward to my other posts. I am going to work on the about me and interested and stuff now.