Christmas List 2014

Happy Holidays all!

The purpose of this post is mainly meant for my family and really close friends.

I figured that giving a detailed explanation with pictures, websites, and more all attached in one spot would be way easier than writing a list on paper, and then expecting my family to find the stuff that I am talking about. So, for the past couple days I have been compiling images, links and all the deets that I need onto in a folder on my desktop just for this list! I really hope this makes it easier on all of my family and friends.

Create a Daily Planner [Time Management Series]

Welcome to the first installment of my Time Management Series. I started this series on my blog as a way for me to share what I have learned while organizing my life all the time while at college. I've had some ups and downs during the process of getting my life back together, but this time as I'm on the up swing, I wanted to share my journey with you!

Recent Obsessions

Hello again.

There's always something that I have got to be loving, want to bad in my life, or can't stop using! These are the things that have been keeping all of my attention this past month or so--and I'll admit, I'm pretty obsessed.

My Converse. I got these shoes kind of on a whim when I saw another stylish college girl rocking the edgy look. Thankfully I did because I haven't stopped wearing them. I pair my converse with black skinnys, regular skinnys, or even leggings.

Body Butter. I bought some cheap body cream from CVS a while ago and love spreading on my arms and legs after I hop out of the shower. It is so moisturizing and especially soothing after shaved legs.

My new iPhone 6. You cannot even believe how extactic I was when I found out that I was ready for an upgrade at the time of the iPhone 6 launch. I rushed over to the nearest AT&T store to pick mine up. It truly is an upgrade from my terrible worn in iPhone 5.

My watch. I think I've mentioned my watch before in another favorites post, but I can't help it--I keep bringing it up. I love the way it looks on my arm all big and chunky! And because it's silver AND gold, I can wear it everyday, all the time, with every outfit.

White nail polish. Truthfully, I've always been a black nails girl. I thought that was the only way to look edgy and match whatever outfit you pulled on. But for Halloween I was a skeleton, so I decided to try something new and go white. Boy do it love it! I think this might be my new color, what do you think?

VS Pink Sweater. Now, I actually don't own this item, but I decided to include it anyway because I have been on the hunt nonstop. I saw one at my local mall the other day; however, by the time I was able to get back in there to purchase one they were all sold out! I have literally been obsessing over this sweater.


What have you been thinking about, doing, or loving nonstop? I want to know your current obsession! Let me know in the comment section below.

As Seen On: The New Blak-- "#DanyellsDownload -- Pact"

My lovely critters!

I'm here, don't you fret, but a lot of change has been happening in my life-- I LOVE IT! As always, I ask you to please bear with me.

Here's another post that I wrote over on The New Blak. I hope you like it.

Have a fantabulous evening :D

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Hey guys! And welcome to my first installment of #DanyellsDownload. If you need a refresher on what these types of posts will be about click here.

Last month, there were a couple of techy things I was super in to that I really have to share with you! I've been on a fitness kick, so most of my favs this month really pertain to that.

Oh, and don't forget to leave a comment down below, or reach out to me on twitter, if you have more ideas for what I should review in the next #DanyellsDownload.

The Pact

I have been using this app for only about a month now, but I have to say--it's really got me motivated, and it definitely keeps me accountable. If you're the type of person that needs a reason (other than looking good and being healthy) in order to work out, then this app will be perfect for you, too! Plus, who does't want to make money while working out??

Pact forces you to set the stakes and fork out some cash if you don't make your goals. But don't worry, you choose how much dollar pressure you want and how often you plan on working out. You literally make a pact with this app, and they keep you accountable!

Step 1) Make a pact. Set the amount that you will pay other users if you don't reach your goal.

Step 2) Meet your goals. Use the Pact App to track your progress every week.

Step 3) Reap the benefits! Earn cash by living healthy, paid by others who don't.

You can choose to set a workout pact, a food logging pack, and/or a veggie pact. (Personally, I only choose to track my workouts; however, the more you choose to log then the more you will get paid--and the more you can loose.)

Pact is really simple and easy to use, it motivates me a ton, and gives me a community to lean on if I feel like I need some help with my fitness. If you want to check out more about this app--visit their website!

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Don't forget to leave a comment down below letting me know what techy thing I need to download next!

Things I am thankful for [Tuesday Twenty]

Good afternoon critters,

Some times it's good to take a long look at the things you have and reflect. Every single day I am taking things for granted because they are so second nature to me; however, its not this way for everyone.

Today I just wanted to take some time out of my day to be conscious of the things, people, and opportunities that I have that others might now. I am so very thankful for all of this!!

My TV - I am currently using my television as a second monitor for my laptop, and I have never been more thankful to have it! It's made all of my internet related things so much easier and even better.

My iPad - This is my life. If you know me well you know I never go anywhere without my iPad. I use it as a planner, a notetaker, a file sharer, and nearly everything you can think of.

A summer vacation - Recently I went to North Carolina with SkyCzar and his family. It was a blast, and it also made me realize how lucky I am to have had that opportunity to get away from work and stress for awhile. 

My Dr. Marten boots - I know, I know. It's summer time! But boots are still an essential. I am so thankful that my grandma got me these amazing Dr. Martens for Christmas because they are hard core and totally necessary.

A place to sleep at night - My bed isn't some fancy four post king or anything; however, I realize that I am still lucky to have a comfy place to lay my head at night (and at 2 in the afternoon if I need a nap, haha).

My Charlotte Russe watch - A must. It's nothing crazy expensive or a super nice metal, but I love my watch.

My glasses - The other day when I was reaching for my glasses I suddenly became aware that not every has glasses when they can't see. Some countries and struggling families don't have these commodities that I take for granted. That's why I am thankful for my glasses.

Eos lip balm - I just like it. I just couldn't live without it.

My camera - I own a very nice camera, and I use it every day. Sometimes I don't think about how lucky I am to have something like this.

My computer - Again, I own a very high class laptop that is worth a lot of money. I love my apple products and couldn't live without my computer. 

My iPhone - I think everyone who has a phone often takes it for granted. In my area, nearly all people have a phone to use whenever they are out, and a lot of those people also have phones with access to the internet. I couldn't leave the house (oh who am I kidding, I don't even leave a room) without my phone. 

Blogger - My blog has changed my life. I couldn't have created all of the content that I have without this website. I am so grateful for blogger!

My boyfriend and his loving company - I am so thankful to have this hunky man in my life! I love having him around and am so lucky to be able to spend every day with him.

My job at Charlotte Russe - I never thought I would like this job so much. But with this new promotion came lots of new opportunities, and I have never felt so lucky! The girls there are awesome, and I can't wait for more fun times.

Indiana University - Not a lot of people get the opportunity to go to a university. I am so thankful that I get financial aid to help me through this expensive journey.

A car - It's not my car, but Skylar lets me use it.

Zellest and World of Warcraft - Okay, so I am obsessed with Zellest...I will never have a love like this for another character. I only play her (most of the time) on WoW. I love having a virtual world that I can go to when this world just isn't working out for me. Plus, I'm way awesome-er in WoW.

My Family - Even though I don't see them often, I am thankful that they are there when I need them and will love me no matter how long it's been.

Amazon.com - Mostly I am just grateful for this site because of my Kindle. I am addicted to reading lately, and I love how I can make wish lists, order books, and do lots of other things from this site.

My Razer Naga mouse - I splurged on this mouse last year around this time when I was still unsure about my love for WoW. Thankfully, I love the game and I couldn't imagine playing it without my Naga.


Please like, comment, subscribe, and share!
I love you all! Peace OUT

Being myself

Hey critters!

Source

Yesterday I had a career fair. It was the first one I have ever attending because I just switched majors to Informatics. It was so stressful and fun and gave me a great look into what to expect when applying for big girl jobs after I graduate.

Anyways, before I walked into the giant convention center that would be packed with employers and different companies looking to hire, I stated how I was going to introduce myself to everyone over and over again. I wanted to seem super professional and cool so I practiced exactly what I was going to say. But, when I walked into that building everything had escaped me. I didn't know how to do anything but smile and walk.

At that frozen moment I realized, there's no one else I needed to be today except myself. Of course employers are going to want to see that I can carry myself well and talk great; however, the key to this whole career fair thing was being myself. I smiled at every person, told them about what I can do and what I am interested in doing, and reiterated that life was about learning and that's what I was going to accomplish no matter what.

I feel great about that experience that I had yesterday. I got to meet with a lot of outstanding companies and people, and I think some of them even liked me too. Hopefully I can have the opportunity to work for one of them, but, no matter what, I have learned something new about the powers of being myself.


Please like, comment, subscribe, and share!
I love you all! Peace OUT

P.S. This week's Tuesday Twenty was displayed on my Tumblr account. Check it out here!

Brainscape--The ultimate flashcard application

Good afternoon critters!

Today I am going to discuss one of the most useful studying applications available. Whether you are sitting at a desktop, laying on the couch with your iPad, or walking to class with your iPhone, Brainscape is the best app to use for studying flashcards on all devices...and its FREE!

By creating an account either online or through the app itself, you can start to create flashcard libraries. These libraries are like our rubber banded card decks most of us use today. Brainscape allows you to make flash cards that are exactly like the paper ones but so much better. This app gives you the opportunity to have that same learning experience, but without the mess of tediously writing them out or the hassle of carrying a bunch of cards around.

Screenshot from the app on my phone.

Cards can be created on any of your devices (however, advanced settings are only available on desktop). You can add text, images, sounds, and more to help you study in the best way possible.

Brainscape gives you the opportunity to select how well you knew each individual card, which then gives you a breakdown of how well you know the entire set. This is benefitial because it allows each user to rate the card on their own judgement of their confidence and achievement. As you study, cards that you do not know very well will pop up more frequently than those that you have selected as knowing perfectly. Cards can also be starred, skimmed through, or searched specifically.

 

There have been numerous studies on the effectiveness of flashcards, but with Brainscape's confidence-based repetition method, it has been shown that this application can help you succeed better than any other app available.

And that's not even the best part. The reason that I love Brainscape so much is because the cards that I make can be shared with anyone. When I finish making a deck for my Art History class, I can post a link to my deck on the class' website and allow other people to study using my flashcards. Also, on days when I don't have time to make my own deck, there are hundreds and probably thousands of pre-made decks available!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHi9PdmhEL0


This video is a little old, but it really helps in explaining the concepts, functionality, and goals of this application. You can create an account today on any device for free!!

Have any questions or suggestions for future app recaps? Contact me or comment below :)


Please like, comment, subscribe, and share!
 I love you all! Peace OUT

This post was also featured on my tech blog. Check it out here!

Secret iOS7 Features [Tuesday Twenty]

Hey critters!

Today's Tuesday Twenty is going to be another technology/iPad related post. Even though iOS7 has been released for a long while now I still thought it would be cool to share some of the hidden functions that you might not know about.

All of my secrets were taken from this site: http://www.redmondpie.com/top-20-hidden-ios-7-features-that-you-likely-dont-know-about/

Here's this week's Tuesday Twenty:

Twenty Secret iOS7 Features

1. You can use safari to see tweets from your twitter feed that have links.
2. You can turn parallax on and off.
3. It is possible to enable motion sensing controls.
4. You can change the size and boldness of your font.
5. iPhones can track your location and provide you with a list of your frequently visited locations.
6. You can now block callers and unwanted messages.
7. There is a way to view timestamps in messages.
8. Siri can enable and disable your system toggles (like bluetooth and wifi).
9. You can use swipe gestures to go back one screen.
10. The built in camera app can take square photos.
11. Your iOS7 device can update your app content in the background while you do other things.
12. If you use panorama photos as a lock screen you can move your phone and see the whole thing.
13. You have a bubble level in the compass app.
14. Siri can show you the latest of a certain persons twitter posts.
15. You can enable or disable the control center on the lock screen or certain apps.
16. You can turn automatic update on or off.
17. You can put unlimited apps in folders.
18. You can enable of disable advertising tracking.
19. It is possible to view all received media in message at one location.
20. There are preprogramed dynamic wallpapers you can use.

If you want to know more about a certain iOS7 secret just contact me or leave a comment below.

Please like, comment, subscribe and share!

I love you all! Peace OUT

Penultimate-- A simplistic note taking app for iPad

Good afternoon critters!

Today I am going to discuss one of the most basic handwriting apps out there. Now, when I say basic though,  I do not mean "unimportant" or "not the best." For taking those every day notes--Penultimate is by far one of the most superior…and, its free!

All images are from this source.

Penultimate is (in my opinion) one of the easiest to use handwriting apps for iPad. You can achieve the natural experience of writing on pen and paper that you are used to without the actual paper.

This app is run by Evernote; therefore, by setting up an account you can sync your notes over all devices to be easily accessed, printed, or shared.

Creating new notebooks is a breeze, and titling them is even easier. Penultimate (with your permission) can gain access to your calendar which organizes your notebooks perfectly based on your location, events, and times. However, if you want to title them something different it's as easy as double clicking on the notebook covers.

When writing actual notes you have multiple choices for pen colors, styles, and thicknesses. Words can be erased, moved, or un-did [is that a word, haha]. You also have the option to zoom in on a page in order to write large, but have it look small, which can create the most legible notes ever seen on an iPad!

Pages can also be moved around and reordered, merged with one another, or deleted entirely. There are different page styles like grid, lines, and plain. Using an electronic notebook like Penultimate gives you way more customizability, neatness, and unification that the original pen and paper.

If you want to learn more about Penultimate visit their official website here. This app is beautifully organized and designed, and can be perfectly integrated into any class or lifestyle. Purchase it at the app store for free now!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItRaJBmdOL0&feature=player_embedded

Have any questions or suggestions for future app recaps? Contact me or comment below :)

Please like, comment, subscribe, and share!

I love you all! Peace OUT

This post was also featured on my tech blog here.

Twenty Apps for Teachers and Students [Tuesday Twenty]

Hey critters!

Today I have another iPad related post :) I have been loving using mine for school AND play, but I think that a lot of times people struggle to find those amazing apps to help them stay organized, productive, and successful--and when this happens, the only thing left to do is play games.

Sometimes games can be fun, entertaining, and even a little educational; but, let's focus on the other ways to use your iPad.

Being that I am currently a student, I am going to focus on some amazing applications available for students and teachers. If you want to see/hear more about a certain app please, please, please comment below and tell me so!

Here's this week's Tuesday Twenty:
Twenty Apps for Teachers and Students

1. iStudiez Pro- This is an amazing planner app perfect for students. You can insert your term, classes, grades, and more. It even allows you to add weighted grades and make contact forms for easy access to certain classmates and professors.
2. TeacherKit- No more paper planners for teachers either! This app lets you create multiple classrooms where you can store student grades and behavior records, take attendance and create seating charts. There's so much packed into this app!
3. Socrative Clicker- Now this one is both for teachers and students. A teacher can set up a question to quiz students in the middle of the lecture or create real tests (either for a grade, or just to see where the entire class stands). The answers can be anonymous or not, and this app is a great way to get students involved!
4. Keynote- This is Apple's version of Microsoft Powerpoint. Any teacher needs this to make basic slideshows. Every student needs it as well--not only for slideshows, but to convert those slides into PDFs and other usable formats.
5. Genius Scan- So sometimes, even in a tech society, there's still those teachers who think they need to give you paper handouts. This app allows you to literally scan that paper using the camera and save it as a file on your iPad... seriously, genius!
6. Dropbox- There are other ways to store, share, and access your files among many devices; but, I find that Dropbox is the best. Often times it is perfectly integrated into other applications. Basically, you need a place to store your files on your iPad, and Dropbox works flawlessly.
7. GoodReader- This is one of those apps that sync perfectly with Dropbox. There's so much good about this application I am going to have to do it's own separate post. Anyways, GoodReader is an app that lets you write on PDFs! This is what I use for all my notes. There's so much more than just a PDF writer that you can use this for...but thats for a different post.
8. PenUltimate- Another note taking app. This one is free, easy to use, and very organized.
9. Brainscape- The ultimate flashcard app!! I love how you can access the cards on the internet, within the iPad app, and on your iPhone. This is by far the best flashcard app that I have ever used.
10. ClassDojo- This app, I would say, is mostly for Elementary teachers. It is very animated but allows you to track information, make graphs, and create reports for students behavior in class.
11. MindNode- Great app for teachers and students. It helps you create brain webs for brainstorming, note taking, and whatever else you want.
12. Google Chrome- Sad to say, but sometimes certain websites and website applications still don't work on Safari. By getting the Chrome app you can make sure that never happens.
13. Pages- Apple's version of word... you just need it.
14. MyScript Calculator- Screw that boring calculator app with basic buttons! This application lets you write out your problem and solves it right there for you. It knows advanced mathematics, trig, and lots of other stuff!
15. DragonDictation- If you ever feel like not typing your paper, just talk it out with this app and it will write it all for you.
16. SAT Up- There are lots of SAT prep apps out in the stores--personally (since I'm a college student already), I never used this application; however, I would recommend that all high schoolers get something now to help them prepare!
17. Dictionary- The dictionary app through dictionary.com is amazing. It notifies you of the word of the day every morning, can say the word out loud to you, and so much more... just like the website.
18. Google Translate- This is a basic translator. Perfect for any language class.
19. Kno Textbooks- If you can't find your textbooks on Kindle or iBooks you can try this app.
20. WikiBot- An application for wikipedia. Now I'm sure you all know that you really shouldn't quote from sources from Wikipedia... but, it's still a great learning tool.

You can find all sorts of applications here that Apple listed as some of their best education apps.

Again, let me know if there are any apps that you want to hear more about. I have a couple of videos and lots of posts planned!

Please like, comment, subscribe, and share!

I love you all! Peace OUT

This post was also seen on my tech blog here.

iPad Basics

Hey critters!

Before I begin to give a closer look into my iPad--ways to use it in the school system, how I use it to stay organized, some really cool apps for all kinds of people and more, I wanted to lay down some basics for some of you who may be learning for the first time.

Turning your iPad on and off
>>> ON. To turn your new iPad on all you have to do is hold down the button on the top right side. If you have a passcode set up it will prompt you to enter that before you can interact with your home screens. [If you do not have a passcode set up and would like to this can be done at settings>general>passcode lock.]
>>> OFF. turning your iPad off is as easy as turning it on, but first I want to talk about the difference between when an iPad is locked versus when it is actually off.

• A locked screen is when you simply push the top right button once (iPads can also be locked by closing special cases, and set to auto lock after a certain amount of time). Having a locked screen just means that your iPad is asleep--you are conserving power.
• An iPad that is off is completely shut down. Your iPad is not running any background app refreshers and will not function until you fully turn it on. To turn an iPad off you simply hold the top right button for about 7 seconds (as in turning it on) and then, when prompted, you will also have to slide the red bar on your screen which is confirming that turning your device off is truly what you are wanting to do.

Changing your iPad's brightness
With the new installation of iOS7, Apple's portable devices come with an amazing feature called 'The Control Center'. You can access this to change common settings, play music, and other things.
Swipe up from the very bottom of your iPad (this can be done in both upright and landscape orientation, as well as, when your iPad is locked) to view the command center display. The sliding bar with smaller and larger sun icons indicated your brightness. You can change it by grabbing the white dot and pulling it left or right which makes your screen more dim or even brighter.
If you want to access your brightness in settings you can go to settings>wallpaper & brightness and adjust your brightness in the same manner there.

Adjusting the iPad's sound
Changing the volume of your sound can be done numerous ways within the iPad including, the buttons on the right side of your device, within the command center, with buttons on your headphones or speakers, within settings, or even through certain applications themselves. To access your sound through settings go to settings>sounds, and then you can make changes as need be.

Note: your iPad recognizes the difference between when you have some sort of audio cord attached and when you do not; therefore, your sound setting can change. For example, when all sound is off your YouTube movie will play without making any noise, but if you attached headphones or speakers your settings will switch and you may have sound.

Connecting to wifi
Especially if you do not have cellular data, connecting to a wifi source is going to be one of the first things you want to do once your get your iPad up and running. To do so, first you need to pull up your command center and make sure that wifi is turned on. You will see the wifi symbol (three arches forming an upside down triangle) second from the left. If the icon is white, indicating that it is selected, then your wifi is turned on and good to go. Of course, everything you do in the command center can also be accessed within settings. To adjust wifi settings go to settings>wi-fi and then toggle the button next to wi-fi in order to display it as green.
If you still need to connect to a network then you can access this information by going to settings>wi-fi and then selecting the desired connection under "choose a network..." You may be prompted to enter a password.

Moving and organizing apps
Applications can be easily purchased and downloaded from Apple's App Store once you have set up your account online (however, if you haven't already done this the App Store will assist you through prompts to help you create an account). Once you have tons off applications, moving and organizing them is essential. To do this you simply hold down on one icon until they begin to shimmy. Their shaking motion indicates that they can be moved and deleted. To exit this editing mode push the center button.
To put applications into organized boxes called folders hold down on one icon until they shake, drag one icon directly on top of another until a grey box appears, let go of the icon and both apps are now in a folder that you can rename by tapping the pre-made name.

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By no means did I cover everything that there is to know about working with an iPad, but I hope that I could help some people make minor changes to their settings or understand something new.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me or comment below.


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I love you all! Peace OUT

This post was also seen featured on my tech blog here.

Tuesday Twenty-- Twenty ways to use an iPad (other than games)

Good morning critters!

In celebration of my old high school going high tech and receiving some really awesome iPads this week, I have decided to share some ways that iPads can be implemented into school, business, or every day life other than for the use of fun games.

This post is also going to be a fun kick start into my soon to come iPad series where I will be discussing some basic iPad usage skills, plus a section on how to implement them into a classroom (for teachers), as well as, a look into some amazing apps for students to annotate, take notes, and interact with technology as a means to succeed in the class.

Here's this week's Tuesday Twenty:

Twenty ways to use an iPad (other than games)

1. Writing
2. Annotating
3. Editing photos and videos
4. Blogging
5. Note taking
6. Budgeting money
7. Reading books
8. Displaying slide shows
9. Taking attendance
10. Grading
11. Subscribing to magazines
12. Studying with flash cards
13. Making to do lists
14. Keeping track of your grades
15. Planning appointments
16. Logging food
17. Checking emails
18. Watching videos
19. Searching on the internet
20. Downloading and storing documents

I hope to delve into some reviews and in depth tutorials on ways to do these sort of things with applications that I love. However, if you have any questions in the mean time please feel free to contact me or leave a comment down below!

If you have some more ideas of ways that one could use an iPad I would love to know about them!

Please like, comment, subscribe, and share!

I love you all! Peace OUT

This post was also displayed on my tech blog here!